In the Hands of Fate III: Secrets of the Heart
by Lyra Raine Sparrow
Summary: With Jack gone Luna has no choice but to return to Port Royal to marry Lord Beckett. With the pressures of becoming a "Perfect Christian Wife" bearing down on her, she's starting to crumble. Thankfully, she has her family albeit in prison, her maid Henrietta, and one Admiral James Norrington to help keep her together.
1. Chapter 1

_**In the Hands of Fate III: Secrets of the Heart  
Chapter one**_

"Release my family!" Luna yelled as she followed Beckett to his study. "It's been two months!"

Beckett sighed as he sat behind his desk. "I'm not taking too kindly to your tone," he said calmly. "And our agreement was that I would release your family after we were married."

Luna threw her arm in the air, quite a feat with the dress she had on. "Then marry me! What must I do?"

Beckett looked up. "How do I know that you won't just go gallivanting off once I do release them?"

"You forbade me to go to the docks! I'm hardly allowed to leave the house except to visit my family in prison. And I only get to do that once in a full moon!" She crossed her arms and huffed. "_Sunt un prizonier mine_!"

"I'm sorry, darling, I don't understand you when speak whatever it is you speak when you're angry."

"Perhaps you should learn if we're to be married!"

He sighed heavily and walked to her. "Look at it this way. Once I get what I want, you get what you want. It's just good business."

"This isn't some business deal!" Luna screamed. "This is my life! My family's life!"

Beckett stared at her for a moment. "There is no need for all this hostility."

"What do you want from me?" she sneered again.

He quirked an eyebrow. "What do I want from you? Hmmm… I want a good Christian wife who knows how to hold her tongue and treat her husband with respect! I've arranged classes with an etiquette coach to help you arrange this."

"Wonderful!" She threw her hands up again. "So, not only am I forced to marry you, but I have to convert, and I have to relearn what I was forced to forget twenty years ago?" She chuckled humorously. "Must be my lucky day!"

Beckett forced himself to not roll his eyes at her antics. "You start tomorrow."

"Great." She turned on her heel. "I shall be in my room until dinner is served, if you need me before then, _darling._"

"One more thing!" Beckett called. Luna turned around annoyed but did not speak. "I'm setting sail in a week. I'll be away for near a month. I expect you to behave yourself."

"I'm not a child."

"Just the same, I'm leaving Admiral Norrington to watch after you."

Luna left the room mumbling about how she didn't need a babysitter.

* * *

"Hmmm…" the etiquette coach hummed as she circled Luna.

Lady Amelia Porter of Cheshire, England had arrived shortly after breakfast that morning. Not only did she have a superior attitude that Luna resented, but she forced Luna to stand with "perfect posture" for about an hour as she simply walked around.

"Stand straighter. Lift your chin. Mouth closed. Eyes forward."

"Yes, Lady Amelia," Luna said monotonously as she corrected herself. She'd been through a similar routine with her grandmother back in Romania and surprisingly she remembered it.

"Your corset needs to be tighter." Luna rolled her eyes at that one. "Less color around the eyes, and your hair should be up."

Luna was whisked away by Henrietta to her room to 'fix' the 'problems.'

"I swear, if I have to go through this all again…" Luna began.

"Again?" Henrietta wondered.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you tonight."

* * *

Luna's chaperone Charles helped her step down out of the carriage later that afternoon.

"Thank-you," she murmured.

Charles tipped his hat. He never spoke much, only when he was spoken to, and even then it was quite scarce to hear his accented voice. Luna was sure the accent he had was familiar but she hadn't heard it enough to be sure.

With that aside, Charles walked her over to where Admiral Norrington stood at the door to the jail.

"Thank-you, Charles," Norrington says. "I'll take her from here."

Again, wordlessly Charles tipped his hat.

James held out his arm for Luna to take. She took it graciously and leaned slightly into him. It was still rather hard for Luna to walk in the heeled shoe. She was awfully used to walking barefoot and wasn't quite reacquainted with the custom.

"You look dashing, Missus Church," he states.

Luna smiled and hid her blush behind her fan. "Thank-you. Beckett's hired an etiquette coach. He wants me to turn into the "Perfect Christian wife" before we wed."

Now that they were away from listening ears, James allowed a small smile. "I'm not entirely sure that will work."

Luna chuckled. "Actually, my grandmother taught me to act like the upper class when I was a very young girl. She seemed intent that I was to be the one to finally live the life that the women in my family deserved."

He looked at the girl inquisitively. "Not the men?"

"Not one son has been born to my family in four generations, I believe. And if you take account of the myth, which I don't, then it's five."

Norrington nodded in agreement. "And because of Romany tradition you can't exactly live your own lives."

Luna smiled broadly. "You remembered."

"Yes, of course." He stared ahead as they weaved through the battlement and to the prison.

"Pardon my inquiry, but is something bothering you?"

"Just a petty thought."

"I'll give you a penny," Luna offered.

James chuckled. "You have enough to worry about, Luna."

"And one more thing won't hurt. Come on; tell me what's weighing on your mind."

James shook his head causing Luna to roll her eyes.

"_Fiic__ă_," Estrella's voice carries up to Luna, who immediately began running down the few remaining stairs and to her family's cell. They chatted for hours before the light outside began to tinge orange. Noticing this, Esmeralda rudely states that Luna must go before her 'beloved' fiancé starts worrying about how she's run away.

"Thank-you, for worrying yourself, Esmeralda," Luna says with a bright smile. "I'll be visiting more often, as long as Admiral Norrington allows me to. Cutler's setting sail for some reason. Do you think it's possible for me to?" She looked up at said man who had stood by the stairs at attention the entire time and batted her eyelashes.

"Of course Missus Church," James replied not bothering to look over at her.

Luna frowned. "As I was saying, I'll be around more often. But Esmeralda's right. I do have to go." She stood and met James at the stairs. "Shall we?" she asked.

Luna smiled and leaned into him, more out of comfort than the need for stability.

Biting her lip, she looked up at him. "Thank-you."

This caused James to stop and look to her. His emerald eyes met her moon colored ones and held. "For this," she waved her hand between them, "this little time we're alone. I get to be the real me, caught somewhere between upper class and pirate, and you let the rules of propriety slip. We both know that I really no longer need even the slightest help in walking, even though these shoes do pinch my feet terribly. Yet you still allow me to lean into you against your better judgment."

James sighed and continued walking. "It's come to my attention that you need this." Luna opened her mouth to oppose but he held his hand up. "No, let me finish. This is the only time you can let go of the stress of keeping up appearances. I'm sure your mother's noticed a change in you as well, yes? That is what you spoke of?"

Luna giggled. "Admiral! Spying have we?"

"My apologies, Missus Church. There isn't much to grab your attention down there."

Luna snickered and opened her fan. "Esmeralda seems to be taken by you," she nearly sneered.

James didn't miss the way her tone changed when she spoke of her sister. "Oh, yes. She's threatened me on numerous occasions."

"No!" Luna gasped. "Why didn't you say something before? I would've spoken to her. If only she knew how much you've helped."

By now they had reached the end of their walk and were now standing in front of Luna's carriage. James opened the door and helped Luna up.

"It's quite alright, Missus Church. I can handle it."

"Yes, I know. But-" He held his hand up to stop her protests. "Of course Admiral."

* * *

**_A/n: And thus begins the short lived but entirely way too long engagment between our dear Luna and horrid Beckett._**

**___Sunt un prizonier mine_ - I'm a prisoner.  
_Fiic__ă_ - Daughter.**

**_Keep a weathered eye out.  
Lyra Raine Sparrow_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter two**_

"I've been thinking," Beckett said one morning at breakfast. She'd been graced with the day off of her etiquette and French lessons (another one of Lord Beckett's ideas). Personally, she could live without knowing how to speak the language of the eunuchs. She could understand it as well as most languages.

Luna bit her tongue, restraining herself from saying the rude comment that was begging to be said. "Yes?"

"You've come quite a long way in these past few days, surprisingly."

Luna smiled at the compliment. "Well, my grandmother actually gave me etiquette lessons when I was younger."

"Perhaps I was wrong. You do have the making of a good Christian wife."

Luna sighed.

Beckett caught this and frowned. "Is there something the matter?" he wondered.

"Are you really planning on marrying me and releasing my family or is this just some ruse?" Luna asked a bit harshly. Beckett was quiet for a moment. She looked down. "Pardon my rudeness. If you'll excuse me, I have some things around the house to attend to." She stood from the table and walked out of the dining room and into the library where she began replacing some books she'd managed to read.

A soft knock on the door drew her attention away from the bookcase.

"Madam, Lord Beckett wishes for you to accompany him out for the day," Henrietta told her.

"It wouldn't be very wise if I said I was disinclined to acquiesce to his request, would it?" Luna asked as she put one last book away.

"Not at all, madam."

Luna sighed. "I suppose I'm off."

Henrietta handed her a few items. "Don't forget your hat and fan, madam. You never know."

"Yes, of course." Luna tied her hat on and made way to the awaiting carriage.

Luna stared out of the window and sighed as she watched the town pass by. "Might I inquire where we are going?"

Beckett smiled at her. "To the tailors. You still need a dress for the wedding, do you not?"

"So this isn't a ruse?"

"No, darling, it never was."

* * *

Beckett left the following day and Luna was free to do as she liked about the house, of course she only did so after her lessons and swearing the help into secrecy. This particular day, Luna stayed in the ballroom sitting at the piano that sat at the far end but she wasn't playing. Instead she sat with a guitar on her lap playing the same haunting memory over and over until she remembered the words to the lullaby her mother used to sing to her.

The echoing music and partially closed door muted the sound of the knocking at the front door.

"_I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said "I'll never let you go"  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remember you said "Don't leave me here alone"  
But all that's dead and gone and past tonight_."

The door to the ballroom was pushed open and in stepped two persons. Both intruders paused at the hauntingly poignant sound of Luna's voice.

"_Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound_"

Luna's eyes were closed when she looked up from the floor. The flickering light from the plate of candles in front of her glittered on her wet lashes alerting them to the hidden tears. She was barely lit up by the candles making the already eerie song spookier.

"_Don't you dare look out your window  
Darling, everything's on fire  
The war outside our door keeps raging on  
Hold on to this lullaby  
Even when the music's gone, gone_

_Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Oooh, ooh, oh, oh  
Oooh, ooh, oh, oh"_

She opened her eyes but she didn't notice the people standing in the light from the bright open door way. She seemed to stare past them into the distance. Knowing nothing was behind them, the girl wondered where her mistress's thoughts were.

"_Just close your eyes  
You'll be alright  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh  
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh  
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh_"

Luna blinked as she finished the song; the soft applause across the room brought her back to the present and away from the chilling, nightmarish thoughts tumbling around in her head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you come in," she apologized as she set her guitar down. Her cheeks were a dark pink thanks to all the make-up. "I was in my own world."

"No need to apologize," Admiral Norrington stated, smiling. "I enjoyed it."

Luna stood and opened a nearby curtain allowing the afternoon sun to shine through and hide her deepening blush. Henrietta blew out the candles and took the plate to put away back in Luna's room. Luna's mind raced as she tied the curtains back. She was running out of things to do and her face still felt like it was on fire.

"Might I ask where that song came from?" James asked his voice entirely too close for Luna's current liking. How had she not heard his footsteps?

"It was a lullaby my mother used to sing to me when I was much younger," she answered immediately. "She used to sing it to me every night."

James quirked an eyebrow and leaned against the piano. "Well, it's certainly… different."

Luna chuckled. "My mother believed that if she reminded me of the good waiting for us in the future then my troubles would disappear. I'll admit though, it did take some getting used to when Mirela accompanied her. The song itself isn't really as eerie as it sounded." She finally looked to him to see him smirking.

"What?"

"Has any one told you that you talk entirely way too much?" he wondered.

Luna frowned in thought. "Actually, I believe Lady Amelia said something to that effect just this morning."

He shrugged at her nonchalant comment. "I don't blame her."

Luna scoffed and picked up the fan that had been lying on the piano and swatted him playfully. "So why are you here?"

"Lady Amelia has her work cut out for her, I see." He smiled and stood straight. "I'm here to make sure you aren't planning on escaping."

Luna frowned. "I can assure you that hasn't passed my mind in quite a while." She sighed and sat down lifting the lid to view the ebony and ivory keys. She opened her journal and it fell to a page where two pieces of paper were shoved. She picked up the newer of the two and opened it. Her eyes flittered across the page and a small almost evil smile lit her face.

"Have I said something wrong?" James asked, not seeing the smile.

"Are you going to Lord Hemmingway's ball?" Luna wondered holding up the paper.

"Yes. Are you?"

"Uh, no, I'm not," she stated. "I'm not quite sure I can handle acting so pompous for so long."

James chuckled. The grandfather clock in the hall chimed two and they both frowned for entirely different reasons.

"Well, I must be off," the Admiral says.

Luna's frown deepened. "Won't you stay for tea?"

"I have some important things to attend to back at the fort."

"Please, I insist," Luna urged. She wished deeply that he would stay so that she could postpone her French lessons. She felt a familiar fiery warmth spread from her core to her finger tips and almost cried at the sensation. She really need to be careful with the word 'wish'.

"Perhaps one cup of tea won't hurt."

* * *

_**A/n: I've just remembered that it is International Talk Like A Pirate Day! An in honor of this wonderous holiday I am going to post this quaint little chapter.**_

_**I don't own anything except Luna Henrietta and Luna's family. The song it Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift. Just a fair warning magic and music are going to play a big part in this little story. However, Luna will never spell anyone (except for Beckett) on purpose. So keep that in mind.**_

_**I type all this as I whispered it to myself in a fairl good British accent that I can't seem to slip away from any more.**_

_**G'luck to ya!**_

_**Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter three**_

The week leading up to the Hemmingway ball was entirely too uneventful for Luna's taste. Her etiquette lessons were going smoothly now that they had moved from posture. Her French lessons were a bit slow but only because she often confused the languages she already knew as it was. She often visited her family though there wasn't really much she could say to them. The seamstress visited to ask various questions and to make sure that she had everything down correctly. And of course Norrington visited her at home the same time as last week.

But now it was the night of the ball and a pressing urge haunted Luna as she sat in her own empty ballroom. Why didn't she just go? It's a simple ball. She wouldn't have to speak much. And she was a marvelous dancer. Well, at least she thought she was. And even if she happened to make a fool of herself, it was a masquerade. No one was to know it was her. Though, there was the problem of her strange hair. Surely she could find a way to fix that.

Still Luna fretted over it. The ball didn't start for another few hours so she still had time to talk herself into it if she really wanted to.

* * *

The string quartet in the corner played softly as James conversed with one Theodore Groves. For some reason he wasn't really paying attention. His mind was somewhere else wondering over things he should not, Luna, for instance, and her family.

Elizabeth was another, but more appropriate.

James didn't notice that Groves had stopped talking until the word "Wow," was breathed. He blinked and noticed that his company was staring at someone.

_A woman, no doubt_, James thought. He turned to glance at the poor woman that was to be, well, stalked for the remainder of the night only to have his breath caught in his throat. 'Wow' was entirely way too unattractive to use to describe the woman.

The dress is really what caught everyone's attention. The pale blue and pink silk shined beautifully in the flickering candle light. Her face was obstructed by a beautiful intricate looking butterfly mask which hid her sapphire eyes and half of her darkish brown hair which was pulled up in to large curls to rest on the top of her head.

This was all James could see from where he stood, but it was enough to tell him that he didn't know this woman, mask or not.

"I'm going to go meet her," Groves said.

"Pardon?" James asked turning back to his friend.

Groves rolled his eyes. "I said I'm going to go meet her. Don't worry, I'll introduce you."

It only took Groves about a half hour for him and the mysterious lady to make their way over to James who at the moment was speaking to another sailor about nothing in particular.

"Admiral, Lieutenant," Groves said by way of hello. "Let me introduce Miss Henrietta Jensen. Miss Jensen this is Admiral James Norrington and Lieutenant Harold Smith."

Miss Jensen curtsied. "Pleasure."

"The pleasure's all mine," James answered, as he took her hand and kissed it.

Henrietta hid her smiling blush behind her lace fan when his hand stayed a bit longer than was proper. The lieutenant caught this and smiled. Perhaps spending some time alone with a lady might leave his superior a bit distracted in the morning. He glanced around and spotted a server with a few champagne flutes.

"I think I spy some champagne with my name on it. If you'll excuse me?" Harold asked.

"Yes," Groves said. "I do believe you right. Oh and look! There's one for me. Perhaps you and Miss Jensen could share a dance while were gone?"

James' eyes widened and he frowned. This look was mirrored by Henrietta. "Not so subtle, are they?" she asked.

"Unfortunately not, Miss Jensen." The quartet began to play again and he held his hand out to her. "Would you?" he asked. "Like to dance, I mean."

Henrietta's blue eyes sparkled as she placed her hand in his. "I'd love to."

They danced for the entirety of the song that was played, neither of them able to rack up the courage to speak. All too soon, Henrietta was commandeered by another guest and James was forced to dance with another maiden. This happened thrice, though two of the women chatted his ear off. Once his fifth dance of the night ended he glanced around looking for the mysterious Miss Jensen. He caught her eye as she and her dance partner spun around. For a brief second as she passed through the moonlight, her eyes turned silver and her hair darkened. James blinked surely thinking he was seeing things and sure enough, the brown hair and sapphire eyes of Miss Henrietta Jensen was what was there.

Confidently, he walked the short distance and tapped the man on his shoulder. "Might I cut in?"

"Of course," the man said.

"Thank-you," Henrietta whispered once the man was out of earshot. "You saved me from the rest of the terrible story he was telling me."

"My pleasure, Miss Jensen," James stated.

"Please, call me Henrietta," she implored. "Everyone does."

"I'm afraid that's terribly improper for a young lady such as you to ask."

Henrietta frowned. "I was afraid you'd say that. My father always said the world was filled with too much propriety."

"And rightly so," James replied. "I do feel there are times that the rules of propriety should be loosened, if not lifted all together."

"But I wasn't expecting that." Henrietta turned her head to the side. "And what makes you say that, Admiral?"

"I have a close friend, not unlike you, who seems to be caught in the middle of decency and incivility." James smiled at the thought of said friend's behavior. "However, I don't think I could truly picture her on one side of the spectrum or the other."

Henrietta's smirk parroted James'. "You seem entranced by this seemingly impeccable woman."

James shook his head. "I wouldn't say impeccable, she has her faults. A lot of them actually."

"But you admit you're entranced."

"Nor would I say that. Although, she is a curious one."

"Oh?"

"Yes," he answered blatantly.

"How so?"

"I shan't gossip about her behind her back."

"But if you did so in front of her face, it wouldn't be gossip now would it?"

James smiled. "I suppose not."

The song ended and they returned to the table where they first met. Henrietta picked up the fan that she deposited earlier and began fanning herself.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" James asked as he pulled out a chair for Henrietta to sit.

"Yes," she said a bit too suddenly. "Please," she amended, "I'd love one."

James smiled. "I'll be right back."

Henrietta watched as he left and her plastered smiled left her face. When James returned to the table not even a few minutes later, she was gone. He frowned and scanned the room thinking that maybe she was courted into another dance. But the only glimpse of her was the back of her dress as she left the ball. He sighed heavily, sat down, and guzzled down his glass.

"So you managed to scare her off?" Groves asked as he sat down next to him.

James looked up and groaned. "I might have rambled on about another woman."

"So that's why she left," Groves jested.

James just rolled his eyes and swirled the remainder of his wine in the glass.

* * *

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Luna cursed herself for even thinking about coming to the ball. Now that she was actually here, she cursed herself over again. Her current dance partner deposited her at a table and went in search of a glass of wine. She glanced about and saw James speaking with a sailor. Theodore she believed his name was. Her heart leapt and she tried to fan herself to stop the blush. In wasn't working.

Forgetting about the wine, she stood and left as quickly as her heels would let her, nearly running into a brunette girl who seemed to be doing the same.

As she sat alone in the carriage, she continued to fan her flaming cheeks as she gazed up at the sparkling night sky. The moon shone down on her, turning her pale dress and her bluish eyes into the same silver color. She's made such a mess of tonight, but at least she left before she made it even worse.

* * *

**_A/n: I thought I'd spotlight on Norrie for a bit._**

**_Gothicluver13 asked me a really good question. No, this is not taking place while everyone is saving Jack. I hated to do it this way but Luna_** has**_ to go on that journey_** and**_ she also_** has**_ to marry Beckett. So yeah._**

**_To my dearest reviewers, I sincerely hate that I haven't been thanking you personally. It's because before I had my laptop fixed I could never reply because it HATED replying to them. I'm trying to get back into the habit of doing replying by it hasn't exactly been working out for me._**

**_Henrietta's dress is actually really pretty. A link to her whole outfit can be found on my profile and Facebook page. And the link to that is also on my profile._**

**_Of course we all know that I own no one but Luna, her family, Henrietta, and anyone under her charge that you don't recognize._**

**_Love you guys!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow!_**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter four**_

Luna scowled. She'd searched her entire room for her damned diary but it wasn't anywhere to be found.

"_Unde dracu este_?!"

"Pardon?"

Luna turned from the chest at the foot of her bed to look at her maid in the door way. "Sorry, Henrietta. Sometimes it just slips. I'm looking for my _cum se spune... jurnal_. Oh, duh. Journal. Have you seen it?"

Henrietta just chuckled. "You mean the one with the moon?" At Luna's nod she pointed over to the mantle. "I was cleaning yesterday and found it beneath the bed."

Luna stared at the diary from afar. That had been the first place she looked.

"_Bogdaproste, _err, thanks. I'm sorry. I'm stressed and I tend to slip into my native tounge."

"You're welcome." She left Luna alone then, taking the hamper with her.

Luna snagged the book and walked out to the garden. It always did this. The book. Disappearing at the most random times and only reappearing when she needed comfort. It was as if it had a mind of its own.

She opened the cover to reveal a little passage written in Jack's handwriting.

_Dearest Luna,_

_If you have come to these pages for laughter, may you find it.  
__If you are here to be offended, may your ire rise and your blood boil.  
__If you seek an adventure, may this sing you away to blissful escape.  
__If you need to test or confirm your beliefs, may you reach comfortable conclusions  
__All books reveal perfection, by what they are or what they are not.  
__May you find what you seek, in these pages or outside them.  
__May you find perfection, and know it by name_

_Jack_

Luna really didn't care as much as she did at first. It was sweet really. She wondered if it had always done this. She hadn't written much in it when she lived on the Black Pearl with Jack and her father. There wasn't really a need to write down how she felt, she simply tell Jack.

He always kept what she said to himself. It was one of the reasons he was her best friends. When he'd be too busy to talk to her she'd retreat to her cabin and find the journal and write. It wasn't as relieving, mainly because it never retorted wittily like Jack would've when he heard something he didn't like.

As she flipped to the newest entry, something written just a few months ago a small breeze blew off the sea and turned the page. Pressed in between the pages was a slightly familiar torn piece of parchment.

She opened it up to find it to be Jack's writing. As she began to read, against her better judgment, she realized at once it was for her to read. In fact, she was sure that it wasn't supposed to be read it at all. It was almost like I diary entry.

_Luna Dawn Barbossa is unconstitutionally and irrevocably my best friend has been since the day that I met her as a small child curled up in the corner of the hold sopping wet as she cried for her mum. And I doubt that fact will ever change. As much as I'd like it to. Not that I want her to stop being my best friend, because I don't. Quite the contrary actually. I want us to be more than that. But unfortunately she doesn't. She always comes up with some trifling, annoying reason to not agree. She uses my promiscuousness often._

_I'm fine with that. Really I am. But lately I can't seem to get her out of my head. Could you, mate? With the way her silver and blue eyes are always hinting at the mischief she's planning and how the glint just perfectly in the candlelight. And her hair, no matter how she has it, it always seems to get in her face. She gets so frustrated but she never pulls it up. Not to mention she's beautiful. Ungodly. No, what was it the poem said?_

_A beauty untouched by any mortals…_

_The other main reason she uses is that damned curse. I constantly tell her that I don't believe in it. And even if it was true, I'd help her in every possible way I could to break it. But she doesn't believe me. Serves me right to try to lie to the only person that truly knows me. Damn Gypsy Lu._

_She's caught on to everything her father's taught her lately. Especially sword fighting. Of course she talked me into teaching her how to sword fight a long time ago, but Hector didn't know that. Er, rather doesn't know that. He's much better at it than me, so I'm glad he's finally teaching her. She catches on quick._

_Her birthday's coming up quick, as well. She'll be fifteen this year, I wonder what I should get her. What do you think, mate? Hmmm. I saw this beautiful ring in a shop in Tortuga with little pears and a light blue stone that was almost the color of her eyes. It reminded me so much of her. Strange yet beautiful. I saw her eying it as well._

_Luna's stirring now. I have to go._

Luna stared out to the cream rose-filled garden, her fingers twisting the ring that rested on her hand involuntarily. She didn't think it was quite possible for him to feel the way he did. Obviously he's admitted it on more than one occasion and for Luna to hear. And, yes, they did a lot of couple-ly things together, but that was forever ago. They were kids.

That was it. He was a kid then. A mere whelp with no idea what love is. Yeah, that was it. But he actually bought her the ring. It wasn't just some trinket he pilfered from somewhere. He actually bought it. But this, this diary entry was written nearly fourteen years ago, his feelings have bound to have changed… right?

Right.

Hers certainly had. She was no longer that naive little girl that used to speak of finding her knight in shining armor and having him break the curse. No, she was fully grown woman wise beyond her years who knew of love and what it felt like. And what she felt towards her best friend wasn't love… right?

Well, let us examine the evidence, shall we?

If she had to describe what love felt like in one word it'd be…. Hard. As in too hard to put a single word to. It's crazy and wild and weird and strange and mystifying. And it's screwing up and getting scared but knowing that everything's going to be alright because they're there for no matter what. It's saying you're sorry even though it wasn't your fault and forgiving them even though you want to hate them with every thread of your being. It a horrible feeling but the greatest high. It was- it is the purest most innocent of all emotions.

And it was exactly how she felt about Jack Sparrow.

_And James Norrington_, she reminded herself.

There was no denying it anymore. And he was just as bad with claiming he loved her more than he admitted. As possible as that sounded. She couldn't flip-flop between loving him and just being his best friend forever. But Jack was dead and if she didn't hurry up and marry Beckett then he was going to stay that way.

As for James, well, that one was much more simple. He was far to moral to care for her the way she cared for him...

_But if what was said at the ball were true, well..._

Luna huffed and closed her eyes, feeling the last few rays of sunlight filter through the trees and onto her olive face. She had a feeling that things were about to get really complicated...

* * *

**_A/n: So _**_Unde dracu este **means** Where the hell is it **and** __cum se spune... jurnal_ **means** how do you say... diary. **It's all Romanian.**

_**The enscription in the journal from Jack is actually the Author's Blessing in Chrisopher Moore's 2002 novel **_**Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal._ I found it online and loved it. It didn't really sound like Jack, but this was before Jack was, well,_ Jack. **

**_So, favorite, review, alert, Like my Facebook page (the link is on my profile.)_**

**_Love you guys!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow_**


	5. Chapter 5

It was three days before Luna was graced with Norrington's presence again.

She and Henrietta were sitting in the ballroom, Luna creating a melody from ebony and ivory keys while Henrietta sat on her other side. Neither were aware of the Naval man watching them as they spoke in hushed whispers.

"So he doesn't know it was you?"

"No. And I don't want him to find out."

"Because you're not who you said you were?"

"No because, look at me. There isn't a way he'd take a fancying to me."

"I think you're over reacting. You're stunning. There's not a man in the Caribbean that wouldn't take a liking to you."

"After what happened to him because of Miss Elizabeth, I doubt he'd look at another woman in that way."

At Elizabeth's name James became even more confused. Who and what were they talking about?

"You can't tell me you weren't enchanted at the time."

"He was distracted by someone else, a woman, but not in that sense."

"By you."

"Not by me." The speaker then yawned. "I've been losing sleep over this."

"Obviously. What would Lord Beckett say about your gallivanting with the Admiral?"

Now, he knew who...

"I'm sure Lord Beckett wouldn't care."

"He likes you more than he lets on."

"Triffles."

Luna played a chord that sounded a bit off with the rest of the music. She sighed and placed her hands in her lap. "Hand me my guitar?"

Henrietta reached over to the other side of the piano and grabbed the instrument. "You're going to sing?"

"No. _We_ are going to sing. In my experience, whenever I have a problem, particularly with men, I normally go to my best friend, most of the time he's the cause of everything, but when he's not there, I write."

"Luna..."

Luna shook her head and began to sing.

"_There I was again tonight  
Forcing laughter, faking smiles  
Same old, tired place lonely place  
Walls of insincerity  
Shifting eyes and vacancy  
Vanished when I saw your face"_

"**All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you**" Henrietta sang as her nimble fingers took to the keys.

"_Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"  
Across the room, your silhouette  
Starts to make its way to me  
The playful conversation starts  
Counter all your quick remarks  
Like passing notes in secrecy_

_And it was enchanting to meet you_  
**All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you**

_**This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonder-struck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
I was enchanted to meet you**_

_The lingering question kept me up  
2 a.m., who do you love?  
I wonder 'til I'm wide awake  
__**Now I'm pacing back and forth  
Wishing you were at my door**__  
I'd open up and you would say_

_It was enchanting to meet you_  
**All I know is I was enchanted to meet you**

_**This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home  
**__**I'll spend forever wondering if you knew**_

_**This night is flawless, don't you let it go  
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
**__I was enchanted to meet you_

_This is me praying that_  
**This was the very first page**  
_Not where the storyline ends_  
_**My thoughts will echo your name**__  
Until I see you again  
__**These are the words I held back**__  
As I was leaving too soon  
I was enchanted to meet you_

**Please don't be in love with someone else  
Please don't have somebody waiting on you**  
_Please don't be in love with someone else  
Please don't have somebody waiting on you_

_**This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
I'm wonder-struck, blushing all the way home  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew**_

_**This night is flawless, don't you let it go  
I'm wonder-struck, dancing around all alone  
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
I was enchanted to meet you**_

_Please don't be in love with someone else_  
**Please don't have somebody waiting on you**"

Confused as ever, James turned to leave but stopped when he heard their voices.

"So are you going to tell him it was you at the ball?" Henrietta asked.

It was silent for a brief moment. "No. Let him continue thinking it was you, Henrietta. It'll be easier for all of us.

James left the manor in a trance of sorts. What the hell were they talking about? Luna was pretending to be her maid? When? And when was he involved? The ball obviously. But he was sure he'd be able to pick out Luna anywhere. He never saw her there.

_Let him continue thinking it was you, Henrietta..._

Could it be that Luna disguised herself to dance with him at the ball? He shook his head. It was impossible, wasn't it?

* * *

**_A/n: I'm pretty sure you all had a hunch... But here you go any way. Since this chapter is entirely too short of a chapter and I'm just in such a good mood today for reasons unbeknowest to moi, I'm going to put two chapters up._**

**_The song of course is Enchanted by Taylor Swift. Why I've chosen naught but her I don't know. But I do know that I don't own her music or anything else recognizable, Namely Norry._**

**_Thanks for reading. Now if you'll review I'd much appreciate it!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow_**


	6. Chapter 6

Three days passed before Luna saw James again. They hardly spoke as they veered through to the prison. She was even relatively quiet when speaking to her family. That is to say, for the most part.

"What is your problem with me?" Luna asked Esmeralda suddenly. "Why are you always so hostile with me? What have I done?"

The young woman scoffed. "Please. If it wasn't for you I would still be with Christoph and Nicolai."

"Your husband and son?" Luna asked. Esmeralda nodded. "Look, not everything that happens is because of me."

"You are Sati-Sara, are you not?" the sister asked.

Luna nodded. "Do you know the myth? The Greek myth? The one that states Sati-Sara gave up her powers to her daughters and ex-lover? More like charged them with her duty. Still, I'm not the only one working the wheels of fate. In fact, I'm only playing a minimal part. But if you want to return to your family by all means go ahead, but something tells me that you will not like what has become of your husband."

Before Esmeralda had a chance to ask what she meant, Luna gestured to Norrington who unlocked the cell door. "Before you leave would you like to see what's become of him?"

"No matter what you show me, I know my husband."

Luna lifted her loose shirt; she'd chosen to dress as the Romani people did. On her stomach was a tattoo of an olive branch, on which sat a sparrow and a cross. Carved over the branch was a heart-shaped scar. "I thought I knew the men in my life, too." A sad smile crossed her face. "Turns out Jacob wasn't as sweet as he first appeared. This wasn't the only scar I received from him. I kept this one as a reminder that there's a dark side to everything. Take it from someone who speaks from experience."

Estrella stood and joined her two daughters. "Luna's right, _fiică_. You really don't know what any man is capable of until it happens." She pulled up her long sleeve to revel a large burn scar that covered most of her arm. "The ship was under attack, Hector had locked me in the cabin. To protect me, he said." She frowned at the nearly forgotten memory. "The crew abandoned ship right as it caught fire. I was forgotten below deck. Needless to say, I escaped with major injuries and healed myself."

"He left you to die!?" Luna screeched. "I can't… fathom. I was never hurt like that."

Estrella tilted her head. "Are you sure?"

Luna placed her hands on her head as she fell to the floor, the over whelming sensation of the phantom pain washed over her. "Stop!" she screamed in agony as if she was reliving everything at once. "Please!"

James dropped to his knees and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped away from his touch and stared at him in anguish.

"D-don't touch me!"

James looked to the mother worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Estrella looked to her youngest daughter. "Esmeralda, stop it!"

The daughter looked defiantly back, anger seething from her. "It's not me."

"What's going on?" James asked again.

"It's a sensation illusion," Estrella spoke calmly. "Though I fear it's a powerful one."

"Perhaps, she's done it to herself, _mami_," Esmeralda suggested.

She shook her head. "Not even Luna could do that."

Luna screamed in agony again. James tried to pull her into his arms but she pushed him away. Angered, he turned to glare at the two women, but the tiny girl sitting in the corner of the cell caught his attention. "Your daughter," he snapped at Esmeralda. "She is Romani, is she not?"

"She's barely four," Estrella reasoned, reaching the appropriate thought before her daughter.

Marko walked forth. "I remember the things Lu could do when she was only four."

"Please!" Luna begged and screamed again.

Memories of the words he almost shared with Miss Jensen a few nights before flooded into his mind. She certainly was one of the strongest people he knew, though she so often hid behind her weaknesses for reasons he's yet to discover.

"Saraphina!" Esmeralda yelled.

The small brunette blinked her dazzling blue eyes and looked up at her mother innocently. Luna's screams stopped. Esmeralda walked over to her daughter and spoke in hushed Romanian whispers. Norrington understood only a few words that flooded from her mouth but he was pretty sure that she wasn't being reprimanded.

He grit his teeth and turned back to Luna, pulling her to him. Her eyes fluttered closed and her breathing slowed. She seemed to be asleep

"Sir!" Lieutenant Groves called as he rushed down the stairs. "Is everything alright? I heard screaming."

"Everything's fine," Estrella stated.

Groves looked over at the prisoner in disgust.

"Missus Petulengro is correct," James said as he slipped his hand underneath Luna's legs. He stood and held her close to his body. "Missus Church simply had an accident of sorts."

Luna snorted. "Accident, right. I bet it was the darling sister of mine."

James shifted Luna's weight to a more comfortable position. His green eyes stared into her silvery eyes, concern clearly evident in them. "How are you? Are you feeling alright?" he questioned.

Luna smiled. "I'm fine. Just sore and a bit tired." She yawned, proving her point. Her eyes fluttered shut again. "_Aceasta este vina mamei mele_."

Estrella smiled and sang something in her tongue with a familiar haunting memory.

"It really isn't that creepy," James whispered. "Err, Lieutenant would you mind helping me take Missus Church to my office to lie down?"

Groves nodded and shut the cell door making sure it was locked. Luna stirred at the noise of James' boots clicking down the hall. She snuggled closer to him and fisted her hand into his jacket and murmured something.

He took in her features. When they had met on Tortuga nearly four months ago, her olive skin had a slight tan to it. But now, under Beckett's lock and key, it had nearly faded away. Her pale rosy lips were pulled into a convincing smile which, incredibly, was the only healthy looking thing about her at the moment. Her cheeks though brushed with a pinkish color were sallow. The black kohl that normally circled her eyes had disappeared long ago but now dark purplish bruises from lack of sleep took their place.

Though, if he looked past all that he'd notice the beauty she truly was. She wasn't classically beautiful by English standards at all, but more of an exotic beauty.

_Perhaps in her homeland, too?_ he thought to himself. James had noted a while ago that she looked nothing like her parents. Or rather, her mother. He couldn't entirely say her parents, for he'd never met her father.

Still, she possessed the classical beauty of one country in particular; Greece. A country of which he was fascinated by their myths and literature. Of course, he'd never seen a Grecian woman in person before, only in paintings, sketches and marble statues. But still something about her tugged that to his mind. And the more he thought about it, the more one stood out in particular, but for the life of him, couldn't think of the goddesses name.

_Parsley, partner, parsnip, parley..._ he thinks to himself. "Great. Now I sound as daft as Sparrow."

"Pardon?" Groves asks as he finally reached the door to James office. He holds the door open and allows his superior to shuffle around him.

James just shook his head and made his way over to the couch. He set her down gently on the sofa and looked up to the lieutenant. "That'll be all. You're dismissed."

With a small frown on his face he placed a small kiss to her forehead. He leapt up in the next second to search his bookcase for a book on Greek mythology. He found who he was looking for quite easily. But still something bugged him and he found hisself wanting to speak to Luna's family on a more personal level.

He ignored the tugging, sat down at his desk and continued working on his paperwork.

James couldn't resist looking over at the young woman. Though every time he did his mind would wander back to the conversation he never should have overheard. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of it though.

One thing was for certain, when Luna woke they were having a conversation themselves.

* * *

_**A/n: Ohhh! I don't know about you, but since I know exactly what's going to happen in the next chapter I can't wait! I'm pretty sure it's something we've all been waiting for...**_

_**Does anyone know what Luna looks like? I sketched a picture of her, the like is on my profile. I know she's in the cover photo but that's not the best picture...**_

_****__Aceasta este vina mamei mele_ - This is my mother's fault

_**Luv ya mates!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter seven**_

"You haven't any idea what she's gone through, _fiica_."

"And you think you do?"

Estrella threw her arms in the air. "I know my daughter better that you do!"

"She's not the same little girl you tossed away!"

"Actually, neither of you know Luna."

The bickering duo looked over to where the Admiral stood in the doorway.

"And you do?" Estrella asked.

"I know her well enough," James begins as he starts towards them, "to know that she's doing everything she can to keep you guys from hanging while protecting the rest of her family form being caught."

"What other family? We are here."

James raised an eye brow. "Do you really think she doesn't consider those aboard the _Black Pearl_ her family?"

"How could she? They did not raise her!" Estrella argued.

* * *

"Didn't they? Were you there when she ran away to work for the East India Trading Company?"

"Or better yet, were you there when she was pushed back into the life of piracy by the man she's currently marrying?"

The crowd looked to the stairs where Luna stood appalled.

"No? Why don't you ask her yourself?" Luna pressed her finger to her temple. "Oh, that's right! You're too busy talking about me!" She shook her head, her earrings jingling. "None of you have any idea what I have gone through."

With that, Luna turned and ran away.

"Now look what you've done!" Esmeralda snapped.

* * *

Luna stood on the battlement where just a year ago her Mistress's path had crossed her childhood friend's. It was amazing at how much had happened in that short time period.

"Missus Church, I'd appreciate it if you stepped back away from that wall."

Luna scoffed. "Don't worry, Admiral. I'm not in a corset."

James smiled and started walking up the stairs stopping halfway up. "I'm going to worry over you, corset or not."

Luna's stomach did a little flip a the simple sentence. "Yes, well, in a week you won't have to. Lord Beckett is expected to return on the Seventeenth."

James walked the remaining way and caught her eyes. "But I will," he responded.

Luna sighed and looked back out to sea. The sun was starting to set, casting orangey reds over the world. "James, have you heard of _Văduva __neagră_?"

He raised his eyebrow as he studied the side of her face trying to hide behind white hair. "The Black Widow? Yes. Why?"

"The most feared woman in all the world. A pirate, whom put the stories of Blackbeard to shame. A woman of which so little is known about, named after a devilish creature." She chuckled. "Have you ever wondered what happened to her after she disappeared nigh on seven years ago? Or better yet, how she came to be?"

Curious, he answered slowly. "It's crossed my mind once or twice."

"She was nineteen when she first attacked the _Duchess. _She was vengeful. Her new husband had been killed by the King's navy, and her daughter kidnapped from right beneath her nose. She's never killed anything, let alone a person. Her morals had gone against it, though she was raised as a pirate. Her first kill was the captain." Luna winced at some forgotten memory. "She loved the thrill of it, so much so that she spent the next three years searching for it. It never came, least not like the first time. She woke up one morning, saw a ship on the horizon, and said "I give up." She couldn't do it anymore. So, her crew, the lovely bunch they were, set sail for Tortuga where the majority jumped, while she and a few of her more loyal crewmen sailed for some far off island where she began her life anew." Luna chuckled. "I used to tell that story to Miss Elizabeth quite often."

"It's quiet a story."

Luna gave a halfhearted shrug. "That's all it is now. A story."

"Do you think she's still there?"

Luna shook her head. "No. She's long gone."

James frowned. "I wouldn't be so sure."

"I'm standing here aren't I?"

James shook his head. "But you're not her, least not anymore." Luna turned to him in shock. "I knew who you were the moment I first saw you."

"You recognized me? And you didn't arrest me?"

"You gave me a look..."

"I gave you a look?"

"I can't really explain it. You were confidently scared, impressed by Turner's audacity..."

"So, you didn't arrest me because of a look I had?"

"Luna," he sighed. "I didn't arrest you because I was more worried about Elizabeth-"

"So because I had this look and you were worried about Elizabeth I wasn't arrested?"

"Partially." He turned out to sea and his eyes scanned the horizon. He was silent for a moment, a long moment, which Luna took to study him.

He looked nervous. Adding to the darting eyes was a taught jaw. Every so often his teeth would graze across his bottom lip which seemed fantastic to Luna. His hands clasped and unclasped behind his back and his body was angled slightly away from her.

"And the other reason?" Luna whispered. A clock tolled telling them it was seven. "I've been gone all day. Henrietta's bound to be worried about me..." She turned and was about to rush off when James caught her wrist.

"Luna, I, err, I overheard you and Henrietta talking the other day."

"About what?"

"I know it was you at the ball."

Luna didn't know what to say. She just bowed her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

Confused, the gypsy looked up and tilted her head to the side. James' eyes seemed to peer into hers as he inched forward.

"James," she breathed when his lips where inches from hers.

"I took my time courting Elizabeth for years. I only have a few months with you."

"I'm engaged."

"My point."

"James, we can't."

"Luna, I'm tired of being the playing piece."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry," she says, pushing away. Luna ran away holding back unnoticed tears. If she kissed him, she was done with, the curse had it's hold on her again and she wasn't going to let it her her perfectly fine friendship be ruined because of it.

She was nearly to her carriage when she was thrown up against the wall, her lips attacked.

"Sorry," James breathed as he backed away. "I just couldn't let you walk away."

Luna frowned at him. "Oh, James what have you done?"

* * *

_**A/n: Okay even I wasn't expecting Luna's reaction. But the ends justify the means, as always.**_

_**So what do you guys think? Are they going to work out? I mean, we all know that they'll get together. And what will Beckett's reaction to them be? Hmmm... I guess you'll just have to wait and see!**_

_**Thanks again to all my loyal reviewers! You know I love you!**_

_**Keep a weathered eye,  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	8. Chapter 8

**lenokiie: If you don't sign in I can't review to you! Haha. It's okay. Thanks for the review!**

**_Chapter eight_**

_Luna sat alone in the dim room, the only light coming from the tray of cream colored candles. A small breeze blew from the open porthole across the room, sending the sweet, salty scent of the vast Caribbean Sea. The faint sound of the crew wafted down the stairs and through the open door. Thunder growled somewhere off in the distance and the wind picked up. There was a storm brewing._

_Lu's silvery-blue eyes widened as lightning flashed and the candles were blown out. She inched her way over to the round window right as the rain started to pour. For a moment she stood with her eyes closed, praying they'd make it out of the storm alive. Her eyes flashed open as thunder roared considerably close to the blackened ship. She slipped out of her pinching shoes and padded barefoot up the creaky wooden stairs and to the main deck._

_The crew of the _Gypsy Curse_ flurried about, hardly visible in the sheeting rain. She found herself soaked as she took that catalytic step out in the open and instantly wished that she had changed out of the heavy periwinkle hoop skirt and into something more… her._

_The ship lurched to the starboard side as a large wave crashed into it. Luna managed to just keep her footing and stumbled into the steps leading to the helm. She glanced up and her olive face paled her stomach dropping. She inwardly swore as she searched the deck for the captain but he was nowhere to be found. Another giant wave crashed over the railing, this time coming from the starboard side. Said wave swept Luna off her feet and she braced herself for impact, but it never came._

_Instead, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, stopping her from hitting the ground. She risked a look back at her life saver to find a pair of endlessly deep sapphire eyes staring at her._

"_You need to go back below!" Nathaniel called over a clap of thunder._

_Luna shook her head defiantly, "I'm as much a part of this crew as you, Captain!" she snapped back. She winced and almost apologized for her tone, knowing full well that Nate didn't approve of her smart mouth. Nate smirked for a second but wiped the smile away before Luna could notice._

"_Please, Lu! If not for me then for our child!"_

_Her ringed hand immediately went to her belly protectively, a surge of pride washing through her._

"_Fine," she grumbles loud enough for him to hear._

_He sighed in relief and felt Luna's eyes on him as he shuffled to relieve the Quartermaster of the wheel. Once she saw he was safely there, she turned to prance down to the galley. Suddenly, an overly bright bolt of lightning struck the mizzenmast. Shards of wood flew everywhere. However, what worried Luna more was the giant wave that managed to knock her backwards._

_She was too dazed to hear the sickening crackle as the mast snapped. She stood just in time to push the second mate out of the way. The ruined mast fell betwixt them, smashing the railing in three feet on either side of it._

_Lightning struck the water just off the port bow of the ship, the resounding thunder leaving a ringing in her ears._

_Nathaniel rushed to her and screamed something, but again she couldn't hear and she was a horrible lip reader. Lightning flashed again, right next to her and she closed her eyes._

* * *

_When she opened them, she found herself at home in her bed, her nappy black hair matted to her neck with sweat. Outside, the remnants of a storm floated off into the distance. But the ex-pirate's main concern was not the storm or the inevitable damage it did, but the soft crying coming from the nursery just right down the hall of her darling Emmaleene. Luna slipped out of bed and down the hall._

_The nursery was bland, save for the pink quilt thrown over the old rocking chair in the corner. She could never bring herself to decorating it much more than that after—_

_The persistent whining drew the nineteen-year-old mother to the crib. She picked up the small, white-haired child and cooed sweet calming sayings in her native tongue of Romanian. As Emmaleene stopped crying and stared up at her mother, Luna held the child closer and hummed a haunting lullaby she learnt as a child herself._

_Emmaleene soon shut her sapphire eyes, so similar to her father's, and drifted into a peaceful slumber. Luna set the tiny three-month-old in her crib again. A dark splotch appeared on the blanket as she tucked her in. Luna stared in awe as another dark circle appeared. There were a total of five splatters before she lifted her nimble fingers to her cheek._

Strange,_ she thinks to herself, _to cry without realizing it_._

_She drops her hand and abruptly leaves the room. Lu manages to hang on to some civility as she stumbles down the hall back to her bedroom, though she knows no one would know if she broke down. Nor could, err rather, would blame her. It was, after all, four months ago that she held her dying husband in her arms. And of course her mind chose that particular moment to highlight all the pain she's been through in her life._

_The tears stopped as her head hit the pillow again. She was too numb to think any further, but too invigorated to sleep. Eventually, the darkness does claim her though she doesn't dream._

* * *

_When she awakes next, it isn't because of a storm; in fact the thick forest surrounding her hilltop house was eerily silent. Luna listens further for the sound of her baby crying, or rather lack thereof. Instantly, she knows something's wrong._

_She jumped up and moved with a speed she'd only ever used in battle. But it still wasn't fast enough. She prayed to the goddess Parvati that the baby, her Emmaleene, her everything, was fine and simply sleeping longer than usual._

_But as she pulled back the little off-white blanket, she stopped functioning._

_Emmaleene wasn't there._

Luna sat up breathing heavily. Through the crack in the thick curtains, she could see the storm outside. This always seemed to happen to her this time of year.

_**A/n: **__**So, here it is guys. The truth behind why Luna became what she did. This was my plan all along, but for some reason I ended up stating that she miscarried, and that in itself will be explained eventually. I wrote that as a project for my creative writting project. Got a hundred on it! Not that it was hard...**_

_**Love ya mates!**_

_**Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter nine**_

It would prove to be a total of six days before Luna and James would talk again.

Currently, she and Henrietta were in the kitchen. Both women were dressed as gypsies and covered head to toe in flour. Luna was all in blue, wearing less than she normally did, meaning both clothing wise and jewelry. Both her tattoos were visible, though partially obscured by cake batter.

Luna swiped her hand in the empty batter bowl wiping out any of the remaining batter and chased Henrietta around the small island. Henrietta grabbed the bowl and ran.

"I swear if you put that on me, I'll dump this bowl on your head," Henrietta threatened.

"You wouldn't dare," Luna snapped back.

"Try me."

Luna lunged at her lady-in-waiting narrowly catching Henrietta's arm and dove behind the island. Henrietta chased after her trying to drop the bowl on her head, which she almost succeeded right as at throat cleared in the doorway.

Luna squeaked in embarrassment as Henrietta hid the bowl behind her back and tried to look innocent.

"Am I… interrupting something?" Admiral Norrington asked. A smirk played on his face as he took in the utterly destroyed kitchen.

Luna peeked up over the counter. "Uh, nothing more than a little… female bonding."

The Admiral nodded. "Yes, well, might I have a word Missus Church?"

"No."

"Pardon?"

"Not with me looking like this." Luna, still behind the island, crawled over to the wash basin and poured in some clean water, dipping a rag into it. She made quick work of cleaning the majority of batter and flour off her but she would definitely behaving a Venetian bath later this evening.

Once she seemed clean enough, she stood and walked over to James. "Now, how might I help you Admiral?"

"I was hoping that perhaps we could talk in private?"

Luna looked to Henrietta who gave a reassuring nod. "Of course. Henrietta, I shan't be gone long."

"Take your time, missus."

Luna led James out of the kitchen and into library.

"Luna..."

"James..."

"I, er, wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have kissed you."

"No, you should not have."

"But I'm not sorry I did."

"You're not making any sense, _carissimi."_

"Luna," he sighed and took a step towards her. "Your mother told me about the curse."

"What?" she asked, eyes wide.

James looked at her. "That's why you ran away, isn't it? That's why you haven't visited your family this week? You're avoiding me."

Luna chuckled humorlessly. "You're just full of yourself aren't you? James, if I wanted to avoid you, we wouldn't be having this conversation." She turned to the bookcase and skimmed the titles.

"Is that why you can't look at me?"

"No," she stated all too quick. "James, do you have any idea the mess you made with just that one kiss?"

"Luna-"

"No. I can't do this."

"Can't do what?"

Luna spun around, her hair flying out. "You and me. I and you. Us. I refuse to let meself get hurt again, _dragi_."

"I won't hurt you."

Luna chuckled. "That's what Jacob and Nate said. And now look at me! I'm a mess."

"You're getting off topic."

She watched in astonishment as he sat down on the sofa nonchalantly. He was right, she was starting to get off topic. How he knew that confused her. No one had ever caught on the her that fast.

"James, this won't work out. Trust me."

He frowned up at her. "How can you possibly know that?"

"Just because I fell for you sans help from the curse, doesn't mean anything. Somewhere along the line you'll hurt me. But no matter what you do, I'll keep coming back."

"What are you talking about?" Norrington gazed at the gypsy slightly amused but at the same time worried that something was utterly wrong with the woman. Was she mad?

"James, just trust me on this," she says as she sits next to him. "I've been through it before."

This only confused him farther. What was she going on about? "Luna..."

"Why do you think I was so quick to forgive Spar- Jack?" The slip up didn't go unnoticed. Luna chuckled. "I never found Jack very attractive when I was younger. I was at that age... and he was just like my older brother. I didn't fall for him like those other men. Jackie and I were always just friends. At the end of his time with the Company, Beckett had asked us to pick up cargo from Africa. We arrived only to find them people..."

"_Jack, Beckett isn't going to be happy," Luna said as she looked back behind them to the shrinking splotch of land that the African people were left. It's was a fairly decent island, on which Luna knew slavery was banned. "This is the third shipment of cargo you've botched. Remember what he did to you the last time? I have no doubt he'll do it again. And who's gotta take care of you then? _Mă_**.**__"_

"_I liked it better when I only understood half of what you said, Lu." He wouldn't look her in the eye, because he knew she was right._

"Doar pentru că știi că am dreptate!_"_

"_Lu, people ain't cargo."_

_Luna groaned. "_Velit necne, non est valde beatum Beckett. Cum praesertim hoc erat personalis shipment!_"_

_Jack rolled his eyes. "Stick to one language, _dragi_."_

"_My apologies but you, sir, need to make up your mind."_

"_About?" he prompted._

"_About a lot of things, Sparrow. I didn't run away for no reason."_

_Jack sighed and motioned to his first mate to take the wheel. "No, Gypsy Lu, from what you told me, you ran away to have a normal life."_

"Da,_ and that's exactly why I was planning on jumping ship once we arrive in the colonies."_

_Jack grabbed her and brought her down to his cabin. "Luna, love, what yer proposin' be insane. There is no way me best friend is goin' to jump ship anywhere, as long as I'm captain."_

_Luna frowned. "Jackie, please. I have to get a way from the sea. At least for a while."_

_He studied her face and frowned. This is exactly what she wanted. "Okay."_

"_That's no fair, Sparrow! You- _stai, ce?"

"_You 'eard love," Jack sighed. "You're right. When we reach Georgia we'll start anew. I'll work something out with Smithy..."_

"_We? Jackie, you don't plan on coming, do you?" Her eyes were wide as she took in the calculating look on her friend's face. "What about the _Wench_?"_

_Jack, looked up to her. "She's just a ship. You, on the other hand, aren't as resilient."_

"_I can handle myself, Sparrow!"_

"_You are a twelve-year-old Romanian girl. Don't think that the colonists won't snatch you up and throw you in the field first chance they get. You're my best friend, love, I'm not letting that happen to you."_

_Luna winced at the thought. "And how is you being with me going to stop them?"_

"_You'll be my slave. Not literally, love. You can remove that look from your person."_

_She only frowned deeper. "No."_

"_Than what do you think we should do?"_

_She thought for a moment. A thought passing through her head of a fake marriage, but she shook that from her mind. It would never work. "I dunno."_

"_We could... never mind. You wouldn't agree..."_

"_Now, tell me."_

_He laughed humorlessly. "_E o idee proastă_."_

"_You don't know that."_

"_Yes, I do."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Marriage."_

"_I had the same idea."_

"_You did?"_

_Luna nodded. "_Da_, and I thought it might work, _carissimi,"_ she lied._

"You pretended to be married?"

Luna huffed at the interruption. "No. We never got the chance. Beckett crossed our path as we continued to sail towards Georgia. The crew and I were locked in the brig while Jack spoke with Beckett. I didn't know at the time Beckett was branding Jack." She smiled sadly, tears in her eyes and when she spoke again her voice was severely hindered. "Beckett had ordered her to be burned and sunk..."

"If you were locked up how did you..."

"Jack made the deal with Jones." It was silent for a long while before Luna started to laugh.

James stare at her, stunned at the sudden change in attitude. "You're laughing?"

"I find it funny that I always manage to tell you my life story."

He smiled. "That's all you. One question though, what was the point in telling me the story?"

She sighed and leaned into him. "Oh, um... to tell how I fell in love with Jack. It was of my own doing, not because of some ancient curse." She pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek, dangerously close to his lips. "Much like I did with you."

"What about Lord Beckett?"

Luna grinned. "Oh, my marriage to him is purely because when he dies, whether by my hand or the Brethren's, his entire fortune goes to me. He has no other family."

"You promise?" James wondered.

Luna nodded. "Always."

_**A/n: Pirate.**_

_**Doar pentru că știi că am dreptate - Just because you know I'm right.  
Velit necne, non est valde beatum **__Beckett._ Cum praesertim hoc erat personalis shipment (latin) - Like it or not, Beckett it is not to be very happy. Especially as this was a personal shipment.  
E o idee proastă - It's a bad idea.

_**I love you guys!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/n: Oh my! An author's note? At the beginning? What's wrong? Nothing. Nothing at all. I felt as if this chapter you're about to read needs an introduction. After the last chapter I'm sure we were all very happy that James and Luna sort of have this unofficial relationship. Well, lenokiie has been waiting to see (and I quote) "Beckett's crushed soul" when he sees aforementioned relationship and for that to happen there has to be a relationship between him and Luna first.**_

_**This chapter might infuriate you. I loathe to say that everything is of my ownership, save for Beckett... Though, I wouldn't mind owning Tom Hollander.**_

_**Chapter ten**_

Luna was walking past Beckett's study when a rough cough emanated from it. She paused fearing one of the help might be ill and looked in. She was surprised to her fiancee at his desk.

"Oh! You're home," Luna said, emotionless. "I wasn't expecting you till much later this evening. Why didn't you tell me you were home?"

He shrugged. "The ship arrived early this morning. I didn't want to wake you."

"You weren't at breakfast."

"I wasn't hungry." He coughed again.

"You're ill, aren't you? You-"

He waved it off. "It's just a cough."

"Yes. A cough. A wet cough. And if it isn't dealt with properly it'll become worse. It stormed here a few nights ago. You most definitely would've been caught in it."

He sighed. "We were. But I remained in my cabin."

Luna looked sternly at him as she walked farther into the room. "But the crew and captain were. You conversed with them, _da_?"

Beckett just stared at her, unwilling to admit he was getting sick causing Luna to roll her eyes at his stubbornness. "Remove your coat."

"I'm not ill, darling. It's just a cough."

"We've gone over this. Just remove your coat and they'll be no need to summon a doctor later on, _carissmi_." Luna froze. Not again.

Beckett's brow furrowed only after she paused. "_Carissimi_?" he asked, feeling as shocked as Luna looked. "Latin for "my dearest," correct?"

"I-I, I don't – I mean – I didn't... mean it... like..."

"Well, obviously you did mean, otherwise you wouldn't be stuttering."

"I-I don't know what to say..." She dropped her gaze as Beckett stood and moved to stand next to her. It was then they noticed their height difference. She was about two inches shorter than his 5' 5'' stature.

"Why did you call me that?"

"I-I don't know..."

"Tell me what this is."

Luna held up her hand. "An engagement."

"That I _forced_ you into."

"Do you regret forcing me?"

Cutler gently lifted her chin, but she refused to meet his eyes.

"Yes, I do."

With an inaudible sigh she let her walls tumble, looked up into his sincere pale blue eyes and she was lost. "Cutler," she breathed.

He gently kissed her and for a moment they were in sync, hands twisted in hair. While she reacted graciously towards the kiss, her mind was conflicted.

_You're betraying him, _a small voice argued.

_I'm just playing the part, _a smaller voice screamed back.

_You're kissing him!_

_He is my fiance._

_He's the enemy._

_Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?_

_Not _**this** _close!_

_He won't forgive you. They won't see it like you do._

_Stop with the pronouns!_

_Jack won't forgive you. Nor will James._

_Jack will forgive me. He has to._

Beckett's hand moved from being tangled in her hair to the small of her back pressing her closer to him.

_Jack's dead. By Elizabeth Swann's hand. And you're _still_ kissing his enemy!_

_He's my fiance!_

_...You've fallen in love with him, _Jack's voice said to her. _You're supposed to hate him._

Luna couldn't shake the thought from her head and she pulled back. Breathing heavily, she leaned her forehead on his. Her hands slipped from his hair, which she noted was short and a pretty brown and not covered by his wig.

"I'm supposed to hate you. You ruined my life," she whispered.

"Don't you?"

Luna shut her eyes and thought, really thought. Did she hate him? He did have her husband killed.

_Don't forget about me, love_, Jack's voice said.

_How could I? I was there when he branded you and sunk the _Wench._ He nearly killed me!_

_Both are good reasons to hate a man..._

_Cutler hurt Nate before he hurt me. You would've become a pirate and I would've become the Black Widow anyway. So do I hate him?_

"No."

"You should."

"I can't," she realized. "My curse-"

Cutler pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "I know of it. I don't care.

Luna chuckled. "Masochist."

…

"You what?"

"Don't look at me like that James."

"You said-"

"I know what I said," Luna groaned.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't. I wasn't lying at the time. When I told you that, I hadn't him for near a month."

"Oh and one look and you fell?" James asked angrily.

She sighed. He didn't know how true that was. "I called him _carissimi._"

"You call me that all the time," he responds.

"I know. And that's partially the problem. I speak three, well, now four languages. But my main two are Romanian and English with some occasional Latin. But I never use Latin endearments. Unless I've fallen in love with someone. _Carissimi_ is my choice word."

"I don't understand."

She looked to her feet in guilt. "I called him _carissimi_, or "my dearest" and he called me out. One thing lead to another and he kissed me. I know I should hate him, but my guard was down and I looked at him, I mean really looked at him... He's not that bad-looking of a guy..."

"The only reason I agreed-"

"You agreed!? You're the one who kissed me!"

"You swore to me you had no feelings toward him."

Luna sighed and sat down on the sofa in the office. "I know, I know. And I didn't at the time, nor did I plan on it. How did know that the curse was going to act up?"

James sat beside her. "This is because of the curse?" It was more a statement, but Luna answered anyway.

"You think I would readily fall for the man who ruined my life?"

"You fell for me?"

"You didn't have my husband murdered."

James' face softened. "Luna," he said by way of changing the subject, though to another tough one, "Something about what you said the other day at the battlement before I kissed you. You mentioned your daughter had gone missing..."

She didn't miss a beat. "She was kidnapped." Her voice was emotionless but rushed. "I don't know who. I searched the entire island for her."

"I'm sorry," he murmured, pulling her into his arms and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Emmaleene."

"Pardon?"

"Emmaleene Sparrow was my daughter's name."

"She was Sparrow's?"

Luna shook her head. "No, no, no, no. No, she was Nathaniel's. But after he passed I named her, choosing the name he favored and the first thing I saw. Jack's ring was my right hand where it's almost always been." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "James, you can't tell anyone this. Not even Jack knows of her."

James nods and kisses her fully. "I promise."

* * *

**_A/N: Awww. They had a mini fight... Anyone else think that if Beckett had been a little more like dear ol' Norry that he would be that bad?_**

**_Anyway, If I get enough responce, which I'm hoping this chapter will elicit, then I just might get to posting the next chapter (which has a lot of fluffiness between James and Lu) today!_**

**_Keep a weathered eye,  
Lyra Raine Sparrow_**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter eleven**_

Luna was alone in the ballroom composing music for the wedding reception which was four months away, when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She smirked when the owner of those arms began kissing her neck.

"What a way to say hello," Lu murmured.

"Mhmm… What are you doing," James asked.

"Writing music. You shouldn't be here. Beckett's upstairs, we could get caught."

He chuckled. "Only adding to the fun."

"You sound like Jack."

"Huh," he scoffed offended and pulled away.

Luna bit back a groan and turned to face him, a puppy dog look on her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"How about after your visit to the jail, you head back to my place for a bit and apologize there?" he asked pulling her back to him.

"Now, you sound even more like him. What brought this on?"

He shrugged and gazed into her icy eyes. "Oh, just that fact that in exactly four months you are to be wed to a man who is in fact not me."

"So, you're willing to ruin your honor and bed me just because you're losing time with me?"

"Lu, my honor went out the window when you walked in with Turner and I didn't arrest you," he explains.

"I didn't realize I was so horrible," Luna whispers.

"Now that's no way for you to speak of yourself, especially on a day such as this."

She quirked a brow. "Oh, and why is today so special?"

"It's your birthday."

Luna smiled. "How did you know?"

"I have my sources."

She stood on her tippy toes to kiss him but Henrietta's near silent call of "Lord Beckett" caused them to spring apart as if they were burnt.

"Admiral? I wasn't aware that you were here," Beckett exclaims as he walks into the room.

"I've only just arrived. I'm here to, err, collect Missus Church for her jail visit," Norrington answered.

"Ah yes, very well I trust you'll see her back at half past five this afternoon. As always."

Luna crooked her head. "What's got you so eager to get me home?"

He smirked and stepped forth to place a kiss on her cheek. "It's a surprise."

Disgruntled, James left, murmuring "I'll wait by the carriage," as he did.

"So what is this surprise?" Lu asked after he left.

"Now Luna, if I tell you, I'll ruin it."

"If you don't I'll spell you, _dragi_."

Beckett snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?"

"No. You enjoy surprises too much."

Luna grinned. "Very true." She pressed her lips to his and after the feeling filled kiss, she detangled herself from him and left, pausing only at the door.

"You're not sleeping with him, are you?"

The hesitantly asked question took her off guard. "I-I… No, I'm not."

"Good," he sighed. "That's… good."

Befuddled, she joined Norrigton at the awaiting carriage.

* * *

Later that day, Luna lie in bed as James played with her hair. She'd been reading a copy of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ aloud but had grown silent a moment ago. James was about to ask her thoughts when she spoke.

"You and Jack both fit the poem."

His hand paused. "What poem?"

"The one that tells how to break the curse over my family."

"Which is…?" he prompted.

"A faithful woman wronged by her gentle lover,  
A man forever doomed to chase another.  
From daylights first awakening breath,  
To the transitioning night of the next,  
He'll be waiting for you, eternally yours,  
The daughter of the moon that travels the shores.

From dusk until dawn, an unfaithful man,  
Until she faces her death in the sand.  
Beauty untouched by any mortals  
Is found upon an island of turtles.  
There she meets her one true love  
With a kiss as gentle as a dove."

He continued his ministrations with her hair. "It's very… different."

She just smiled.

"But if his thoughts are then untrue,  
There is nothing a gypsy's power can do.  
The curse will remain unbroken as so,  
As it was placed so forever ago.  
Romani words spoken so rash  
To a woman thought of merely as trash."

Luna shook her head. "Jack is easy enough to see. But you…" She sighed. "It took me a while to realize why I fell for you the way I did… You're still hung up on Elizabeth."

His eyes widened. "What? No, of course not."

Luna frowned. "Please do not lie to me, _carissimi_. I'm not a simpleton."

"Lu," he sighed, "granted I worry over her…"

She smirked. "You don't have to explain anything to me. I trust you."

"And I you."

"Really?"

"Of course," he replied. "Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged. "Beckett doesn't trust me."

"I wouldn't either if I was him."

She chuckled and smacked him with the book playfully. "You're not helping things!"

James pulled the book out of her hand. "Why don't we put this away and find something else to do?"

She gazed into his emerald eyes. "And what do you propose we do?"

"I can think of a few things."

The grandfather clock in the hall chimed five.

"Unfortunately, we won't have the time." Luna climbed out of the bed, dragging the top sheet with her. "Want to help me with my dress?"

"I find that suggestion counterproductive."

"Why is sex the only thing on your mind right now? This isn't the James I fell in love with," she snapped snagging her dress from the floor and storming behind the changing screen.

James frowned at her change of attitude. Something was severely bothering her. "If Beckett doesn't trust you, why is he marrying you?"

"I haven't a clue. Why don't you ask him?"

"Why don't you? Or better yet, why don't you leave him?"

Luna paused in her threading of her laces. "I already told you."

"What you told me isn't the entire truth."

Luna finished lacing her dress and tied it off. "Maybe perhaps my marriage to him would mean the curse would never again have a hold on me!" She stepped back into the open, the sheet clutched tightly in her hands. " Maybe because I wanted what he proposed. A normal life, a husband who'll care for me even if I don't love him, children to call my own. But now I can't! Thanks to you!" She swirled the sheet into a ball and threw it at him.

He stared at her fuming figure. "Luna-"

"Don't! Just… don't." she whispered as she ran from the room slamming the door behind her.

She leaned on the wall across the room as tears began to silently fall. She didn't want to do it, but she wasn't going to get hurt again.

* * *

**_A/n: So two lover's quarrels in a row... Hmmm... not looking good._**

**_I didn't get the response I wanted, but it is only Saturday. BUT I did win first plcae in a pumkin carving contest. A picture of the carving can be found as my profile picture. I think you guys'll like it. So so so happy, happy enough to post this._**

**_This story started out being seven, maybe eight or nine chapters and turning out to be closer to twenty. But I'm glad I get to show you guys this. This next chapter is one you guys have been asking for. The *REAL* reason why Beckett is marrying Luna._**

**_Love you guys!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow_**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter twelve**_

"Why?"

Beckett looked up from the paper work on his desk. "Pardon?"

"Why?" Luna asked again her voice harsher.

"Why what?"

"Why are you forcing me to marry you?"

"I think you know exactly why," he countered turning back to his work.

"Obviously, I'm dafter than Jack because I have no idea."

Beckett looked up and smiled at her. "Don't think so hard and it'll come to you."

Luna frowned and ran through a list of things that could possibly be the reason but none came. Except… "You know." Luna groaned and sat down.

"Know what, exactly?"

Luna glared at him, her silver eyes piercing. "Oh, please. Don't be stupid. You know who I am, what I am."

"Luna Church, widow of a pirate and my fiancée," he answered with a smirk.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it." Standing, she daintily placed her hands on his desk and leaned forward. "You know I'm Parvati. The Goddess of Fate."

Beckett chuckled and raised, applauding her revelation. "You are a brilliant one. I'll admit I wasn't completely taken when I heard your description from you messenger all those years ago." He shrugged as he circled her. "Just a coincidence. But then the rumors spread like wildfire; _Văduva neagră _of the _Gypsy Curse_ puts her victims in a trance, has them do as she says wipes them clean of everything, including their blood to stain her sails, before sinking their vessel and everyone with it. Oh, but she leaves one survivor which she maroons on an island. Rumrunner's Isle, wasn't it? The same little plot of land your precious Jack was left?"

"And this leads you to thinking I was a mythical being?"

He chuckled darkly. "Oh, no, not at all. I had my doubts still, but it was promising. It wasn't until this last little adventure with Sparrow was I convinced. No one of your physique," he gestured to her small slender body, "should be able to face Davy Jones' pet and live, at least not without divine intervention. But you did, as well as your closest friends, correct?"

Luna squinted at him. "It's coincidence only. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Jack...and Elizabeth," she sneered. "But I still fail to see why you want to marry me."

"You know better than me that everything happens for a reason. Every piece falls together in the end. And you have control over what piece goes where."

"So this is another power escapade? Controlling nearly all the world's trade and the sea isn't enough for you?" she growls. "Now you want to take away the free will of people?"

Beckett shook his head. "Now, darling, free will isn't all that free, now is it? There is a price we must pay for every decision we make. Just because it ends up right in the end, doesn't mean there isn't a heavy burden to bear. You should know this to be true." He leaned up against his desk next to her.

"Why?" she begs. "Why must you do this? What do you gain? What price do you pay?"

Beckett opened his mouth to answer but Luna holds up her finger.

"No. You know what? Let me set something straight, you malodorous, insufferable, mangy bilge rat. The only reason my family is still in jail and you're not dead is _because_ I'm a pirate. No amount of etiquette lessons is going to change that. As you know, pirates are always after the biggest treasure and right now that's your fortune. Trust me, we will marry and you will die." She pressed her finger to the hollow of his throat and he froze, unable to move. She'd paralyzed him. He began to slink to the floor. Luna helped him. She held up her fist, palm up, and slowly opened her hand to reveal a large black spider. "Think of me as your black widow."

The spider jumped onto his shoulder and began crawling towards the hollow of his throat.

"Loving, and caring, and downright perfect until you give me what I want and then one night…" The spider pierced his throat and Luna picked her back up. "Now, now, darling," she cooed to the arachnid, "it's not time yet, soon though." She fisted her hand again and the spider disappeared. She pressed a healing finger to the bite. "Such an innocent way to die, don't you think? One tiny little bite from such a mysterious creature and death is certain. And yet there would be no proof that I killed you.

"Granted it's not my favorite death I've come up with, but it's the one that's left me out of pointing fingers. Perhaps, I might go with the original plan seen as that's the more fun out of them all." She shrugged as the clock chimed three. "Perhaps not. Now, I had a particularly wonderful experience earlier today, though it was cut short thanks to your want of me home soon. I truly do hope you're not jealous that I spend most of my time with Admiral Norrington, are you? Because that would way oh so much on my conscience.

"But you wouldn't tell me if it did, would you? Nor would say anything to James. As a matter of fact, you won't speak to anyone about my affair, or this conversation, right?" She felt the fiery magic begin to build in intensity as she continued to speak. She watched as his eyes followed her. He looked so helpless slouched against the desk. "No? That's what I thought. Of course, I can't just leave you like this, now can I?" She shook her head. "I'm afraid not. So here's what you're going to do. You will get up, return to your desk and continue to work. You will forget this entire conversation happened save for when you shut your eyes at night, in which you will have endless nightmares about this. Ones you can't wake up from, ones you can't stop."

She removed her finger and watched as his memory slipped and he looked up at her confused. "Oh, darling!" she voiced, her face schooled into a look of mock concern. "I came to tell you that I was back from my visit to my family when I found you passed out against your desk. What happened?"

He tilted his head in mystification. "I-I-I don't know…"

"Well, take it easy," she tells him with counterfeit unease. "I don't want to be a _widow_ before I'm married."

The emphasized word did not go unnoticed and an involuntary shiver ran down Beckett's spine.

"Perhaps I should've stayed home today?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. I haven't been eating properly, that's all."

Luna smiled sadly. "All the more reason. Please, please, be more careful."

"Of course, darling."

Luna stood and helped him up. He stumbled to his desk and sat down. He looked so pale against the dark leather of his chair. Luna smiled sadly again. "I guess that's all I can ask for." She slowly left the room, an evil smirk playing on her lips.

"Oh, before I forget, love…"

Luna turned slowly. "Love?"

He shrugged. "It was used much like your _dragi._ Anyway, have Henrietta pack some of your favorite things."

"Pack?" Luna wondered.

"Yes, we're leaving for Georgia in a fortnight."

"Georgia? As in the colony?"

Beckett nodded. "I maintain a plantation there. It's all very beautiful, you'll love it."

"Oh, yes, of course." She turned around again and took a trancelike step.

"I'm hoping that you wouldn't mind having the wedding there…?"

Luna didn't say anything, nor did she make any kind of gesture towards him. She just walked away.

Plantations meant slaves. The last time she dealt with slaves she was nearly killed.

* * *

_**A/n: If you ever need a laugh, spend an hour with my sister and I sometime after 10 pm.**_

_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I certainly enjoyed writing it.**_

_**Love you guys deeply!**_

_**R&R!**_

_**Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter thirteen**_

Beckett followed the music of the guitar as it floated through the house. His pace quickened when the voice joined in.

"_Well I've been searching for something true  
My heart says it must be you  
I'd love to fall and see it through  
But only if you told me to_"

He found her in the library. Her back was to him as she leaned over her guitar. She must have changed after he dismissed her from his study earlier since she was no longer in her day dress but a dark purple and black gypsy outfit. It made her seem paler than usual and the top of a tattoo on her back stood out, the rest hidden behind the purple lace top. He'd never noticed it before. Then again, he'd never seen her bare back.

"_Well I'd run through the desert, I'd walk through the rain  
Get you into trouble, and take all the blame  
I'd paint you a picture, write you a song  
And I'd do it all over if I did it all wrong_"

Quietly he snuck into the room and sat behind the desk to the left of her. She had a marvelous voice, he'd give her that. And her playing was exceptional. But he wasn't so sure about her unconventional music.

"_I don't wanna steal you away  
Or make you change the things that you believe  
I just wanna drink from the words you say  
And be everything you need  
Yeah I could be so good at loving you  
But only if you told me to_

_I've seen a lot of good love go to waste  
And I don't wanna look back on these days  
Knowing all the things you'd never know  
If I never said a word and let you go_"

She brushed her white hair behind her ear allowing him sight of her purple-shadowed, icy eyes and black painted lips. Though the makeup shocked him, it didn't deter her beauty like one would think, nor did it enhance it.

"_I don't wanna steal you away  
Or make you change the things that you believe  
I just wanna drink from the words you say  
And be everything you need  
Yeah I could be so good at loving you  
But only if you told me to (yeah) _

_I don't wanna steal you away  
Or make you change the things that you believe  
I just wanna drink from the words you say  
And be everything you need  
Yeah I could be so good at loving you  
But only if you told me to_"

Luna looked up at him and smiled.

"_Maybe this is something I'll never be  
But I'll be right here till you tell me_"

He smiled back at her. "Beautiful."

"Thanks, but what did you think of the song?"

"I was speaking of the song. The way you look however…" His smile faded but he still seemed happy. "You're pretty as always."

Luna's smile dropped as well and she rolled her eyes. "If you don't like it, just say so."

"Does my opinion matter?"

"Of course."

"You're always stunning, darling. This look just shocked me." He stood and waltzed over to a nearby bookcase. "With the amount of time you spend in here I would've thought that you had found these by now." He pulled two brown paper wrapped items from the case.

"Found what?" She placed her guitar against the desk and walked around to him. "What are they?"

He hand them to her with a smile. "Open them."

She opened the first one and smiled. It was a leather-bound journal. The cover had an engraving of an oak tree on it. She opened the cover to find and inscription in Beckett's surprisingly attractive writing.

_Things base and vile, holding no quantity,  
Love can transpose to form and dignity.  
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,  
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.  
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgment taste;  
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste_

Her favorite quote from her favorite play. "It's beautiful. I love it. Thanks."

The second one, which was considerably smaller than the other, was opened and her smile broadened. "It's _A Midsummer Night's Dream. _My favorite Shakespearean play. How did you know?"

Beckett grinned. "I know it can't compare to the one your mother gave you, sentimental and everything, but I thought you might like a first edition."

"First edition?" she asked as she examined it closer.

"Happy Birthday, darling," he says right before he erupts into a loud, hacking cough.

Luna frowned and placed the back of her hand on his forehead. "I told you you should have let me take a look at you. Now not only do you have a cough but you have a fever."

"I'm -cough- fine," Beckett argued.

"No, you are not, _carissimi_, now you can either march up into bed so I can take care of you or you can continue being stubborn until you end up bed ridden with Scarlet Fever."

"I'm fine," he argued.

Luna sighed. "_Încăpățânat_." She yawned and gathered her things. "I'm too tired to bicker with you. Do as you may, _dargul meu_. I'm going for a nap. Wake me when supper is ready."

"Of course, darling."

Luna smiled and left the room.

* * *

_Luna was running, just running. She knew she was running from something, something terrible and evil but what exactly she didn't know, nor did she want to stop and ask questions. She did know, however, that she was scared for her life. She had a strange sense of déjà vu._

_The hard packed earth of the forest floor beneath her bare feet was interspersed with sticks and stones and broken glass. It all cut into her feet and a shadow of bloodied footprints trailed behind her on the shabby path. Branches reached out and pulled at her hair and clothes, slowing her down infinitely._

_Disembodied voices called her name and whispered intangible surreptitious phrases. Luna shivered as the ethereal expressions were joined by the faint, hauntingly familiar, melodic sound of a jingling wind chime. The noise sent a frisson down her spine as she picture the glass chime that used to hang in the window of her child hood home. Her fear was worsened when she finally made out what the voices said, or rather sang:_

_**Run, run, run away;  
Buy yourself another day.  
A cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear  
so low only you can hear.**_

_A frigid wind blew and thunder crackled ahead. The thin fabric of her clothes proving to be no savior from the wind. Her head scarf snagged on a outreaching branch and was pulled off, allowing her tresses to flutter in front of her face. Part of her wanted to stop and grab the scarf, the blue piece of silk being one of her favorites, but the overwhelming feeling of imminent danger won out and she continued to sprint. Rain whipped at her face, peppering her with little cuts as if it was raining tiny shards of glass._

_**Run, run, run and hide  
somewhere no one else can find.  
Tall trees bend their leaves pointing where to go  
where you will still be all alone.**_

_With the dusk upon her, the small footpath and surrounding trees seemed to converge into a never-ending tunnel, leading her deeper into the misty forest. The footfalls echoing around her caused her to exert herself further. The footsteps she's hearing could just be hers echoing in the near quiet forest, but she didn't stop to find out._

_**Don't you fret, my dear.  
It'll all be over soon.  
I'll be waiting here for you.**_

_The last rays of the sunset disappeared behind the horizon that was just visible through the thick forest. Thunder grumbles again causing Luna to stumble. She scrapes up her palms, knees and the tops of her feet on the glassy ground and her skirt is torn. Something behind her causes her to jump back up and continue running as swift as possible. Her lungs are nothing but a burning ache in her chest. The heart-shaped scar on her stomach stung._

_**Run fast as you can.  
No one has to understand.  
Fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come.  
Fall back down to where you're from.**_

_Her skirt caught on a low bush as she tripped over a fallen tree and tumbled over a cliff into dark, murky water below. She landed in the water on her back which knocked the wind out of her. Before she had a chance to catch her breath a wave crashed over her knocking the remaining breath from her lungs. Her entire body feels as if it's on fire, each little cut a flame of its own, itching and irritating._

_**Don't you fret, my dear.  
It'll all be over soon.  
I'll be waiting here for you  
For you, for you**_

_She struggles to keep her head above water but the rough, angry sea overpowers her easily. She's stubborn though and manages to keep her head above for just long enough to catch her breath and watch as snow begins to fall. Each little flake has a dance of its own. They flitted down without a care in the world, covering the world in a white fluffy blanket. Something wraps around Luna's arms and legs and pulls her under the water._

_**Don't you fret, my dear  
(Don't you fret, my dear)  
It'll all be over soon  
(It'll all be over soon)  
I'll be waiting here**_

_Whatever has a hold of her is slimy and burns her skin. It wraps around her stomach and neck and yanks her down deeper. The saltwater burns her eyes and her throat as she tries to breathe in. The restricting binds tighten, cutting deep gashes in her near flawless olive skin. As the water is tinged red, the edges of her vision blur and darken till there's nothing but black._

_**Don't you fret, my dear  
It'll be over soon  
I'll be waiting here for you**_

_The sounds of the ocean fade into nothingness. Tiny silver lights appear as the binds release her. As soon as she's liberated, Luna struggles to stand up. She glances around to figure out where she is. But the view is the same in all directions. It's as if she's floating in the night sky, cut off from the world._

_**For you, For you  
Run, run, run away**_

_The whisper comes from behind her and with a brief glance, she sees a cloaked figure as dark as the air around him. For a millisecond, Luna's frozen. The figure moves to grab her and she takes off._

_**Run, run, run away**_

_This time the voice is no longer hollow, and ghostly. No, it was real and right in front of her. She wants to scream out for help but her voice is lost. The wind chimes ring as the figure reveals a silver dagger and jumps on her, the cloak falling away to reveal a sinister looking Lord Cutler Beckett._

"_NOOO!"_

A gentle shaking of her shoulder pulled her to the surface.

"Love?"

Luna's eyes fluttered open at the voice. "Jack?"

"You dozed off, love."

"Oh." She looked around and found herself on a beach, or more specifically lying on Jack's chest as he lie on the beach. "Oh!" She blushed. "Sorry."

He chuckled. "Love, stop apologizin'. I'm not _that_ incompetent. The children are fine. They're with your mother."

"Children?"

Jack frowned. "Memory's still not back, eh?" He sighed and messed with the ring on her left hand. "So you don't remember the wedding?"

She looked to not her gaudy gold engagement ring but a beautiful ornate silver ring set with a moonstone. She didn't have much time to admire her ring for a small boy jumped on her lap.

"Mami!"

"Jamie! Stop jumping on mami!"

Luna looked from the strange boy to the white-haired girl walking towards her.

"Emmaleene?"

"Sorry, mami, Jamie noticed you were missing and insisted we look for you," she explained.

Luna looked to Jack for some sort of explanation.

Jack simply smiled. "Emma, take James and go find Bunică, please. Your mother and I will be home soon."

"You still don't remember do you, mami?" Emmaleene asked.

Luna smiled sadly and shook her head. "_Îmi cer scuze, copila mea_."

The child returned the smile and took her brother's hand. "Don't worry. _Bampá, tha kánei ta pánta entáxei_ ."

"Bampá?" Luna asked as soon as her children were gone from view.

"Yes," Jack answered. "It's what Emma calls me."

"That's my Emmaleene."

"Yes."

"She was kidnapped."

"Yes.

"By who?"

"Aphrodite."

"James?"

"Our son?"

She shook her head. She'd already figured out that fact. "No."

"Norrington?"

"Yes."

"The good Admiral is retired and living somewhere in Georgia on his late wife's plantation."

"Late wife?"

"You."

"Me?"

Jack nodded. "You married him after Will killed Jones. Had a child. Marabella, I believe."

Luna frowned. "Henrietta?"

"Your maid friend married Norry. Looks after the girl as if she's her own. We visit every now and then."

"How am I his late wife?"

Jack sighed. "You "died" on a crossing from England."

Luna's mouth formed a little 'O' and she looked back to her hand. "What of Beckett?"

"Killed right after Will became _captain_ of the Dutchman."

"I did marry him?"

Jack nodded once.

"I'm sorry I betrayed you."

"I forgave you a long time ago, love."

Luna smiled at her ring. "So we're married?"

"That, Mrs. Sparrow, is my favorite memory to refresh."

* * *

Luna sat up in her bed gasping, Henrietta standing nearby clasping her hand over her heart as if she'd been burned.

"What just happened?" Henrietta asked.

Luna looked at her. "Sorry, I must have had a nightmare."

"Unless you find being married to Jack Sparrow a nightmare, than that wasn't one."

Luna frowned. "You know what I was dreaming?"

She nodded. "I came to rouse you and as soon as I touched you I was pulled into the dream."

The gypsy groaned. Where was Tia Dalma when you needed her?

* * *

**_A/N: Curiouser and Curiouser..._**

**_Thought I'd give you guys something a little extra since I'm in such a good mood. I got my book today! Hunted - the ninth in the House of Night novels! Can't wait to start reading it!_**

**_Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!_**  
**_Lyra Raine Sparrow_**


	14. Chapter 14

**_Chapter fourteen_**

_Luna looked up at the diamond studded sky as shy lie alone on the sandy sea cliffs overlooking Shipwreck Cove. It was absolutely stunning. She often came up here to think. It helped clear her mind of everything and relieved a lot of the stress caused by her involuntarily piratical life. She must have dozed off because the next thing she knows is she's being shaken awake by Jack._

"_Did you sleep out here, love?"_

_Luna yawned and took in his concerned face. She mumbled something under her breath that was probably "Wouldn't be the first time," but sounded more like "Wanna piece of pie."_

_Jack smirked. "No time for pie, love. The _Pearl_'s setting sail. Should've been gone an hour ago, but spent that precious time searching for me first mate's daughter."_

_Luna rolled her eyes at his teasing. With great flourish she stood and began making her way to the ship._

"_What do you do up there all the time?" Jack inquires._

_She shrugs. "I dunno. Look at the stars mainly, and think… I write music sometimes."_

_Jack smiled at the petty things. "Must be nice, ey? To get away from the pressures of this place."_

_She shrugged again. "I don't really have much to deal with here," she lied. "I'm sure you do. What, with your father making you captain and Pirate Lord of the Caribbean and all that."_

_Jack snatched her wrist and pulled her to him. "Don't be so snide, love. Sooner or later you'll have to deal with the Brethren. Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea, you'll be."_

_Luna sighed. "And when my father finally decides to give that up I'll be greatly honored."_

"_You're lying."_

"_Yes, I am. Because if I am still here when my father finally gives up his title, then I'll be severely disappointed, _love_."_

_He frowned. "What do you mean "if" you'll still be here? Where else could you go?"_

_Luna shook her head and shrugged out of his embrace. "And where will you be, Jack? When I have that life we always talked about? Where will you be?"_

_His silence spoke volumes. They both knew the answer. Either he was dead, serving on Jones' ship, or in the Locker. However, she would be gone._

"_That's not fair," he argued._

"_I'm a _pirate_. _Savvy_?"_

* * *

_It was the faint guitar music that had roused Luna from her light sleep. How she heard it over the crashing waves, she hadn't the faintest idea. But nonetheless she found herself on deck by the figure head as Jack strummed on his old guitar._

"Who wakes you in the morning comes?  
Who calls you every late night?  
Who comforts you when you're in need?  
Who always tries to treat you right?

Who gives you all he has to give?  
Who would dedicate his heart to you?  
Who fulfills all his promises?  
And who sees the good in you?_"_

_His deep, smooth voice caused her to stop. In all her years spent in such proximity to him, she'd never heard him sing anything other than a few sea shanties beneath his breath._

"Tell me what you gonna do when I'm gone  
Oh and where you're gonna go when there's nobody home  
And who's gonna love you when you're all alone  
Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone  
Yeah whatchya gonna do when I'm gone  
I just wanna know

Who cries knowing you don't care  
And Who worries what the future holds  
Who fears the road ahead  
And Who's heart is turning into stone

Who prays for your safe return  
And who misses you when you're away  
Who's tired of empty promises  
And who's tired of all the games you play

Tell me whatchya ya gonna do when I'm gone  
Oh and where you're gonna go when there's nobody home  
And who's gonna love you when you're all alone  
Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone  
I just wanna know whatchya going do  
What you're gonna do when I'm gone  
Tell me whatchya gonna do"

_Luna couldn't think properly. The raw emotion coming from Jack's voice startled her. She knew he wasn't a heartless wretch, but still he never showed anyone this kind of emotion, if any at all. There was a few time when he'd let his walls fall when with Luna but that was only after she did first. Still, he was always holding something back._

"Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone  
Oh and where you're gonna go when there's nobody home  
And who's gonna love you when you're all alone, when you're all alone  
Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone  
Oh whatchya gonna do when I'm gone  
I just wanna know, when I'm gone

When there's no one home and you're all alone  
Will you be just be fine alone or will you cry when I'm gone  
Wanna know wanna know  
Oooohhh whatchya gonna do when I'm gone  
Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone_"_

_In the back of her mind, as she snuck away, she had a rather maddening thought._

_What if that was to me?_

_She tried to push the thought away, not bothering to even answer it in the deep recesses of her mind. It unnerved her to see Jack so vulnerable. She'd always been her rock, her confident. She liked to pride herself on knowing a side of Jack that most never saw. But this…?_

_That was something no one got to see. A ping of guilt lit her stomach and she wished heavily that she'd never seen it. What if Jack found out?_

* * *

Luna sat unmoving in the garden leaning against a tree. She didn't remember that. And thought perhaps that it was something she'd dreamt up. But the reality of it proved otherwise.

Approaching footsteps alerted her to Henrietta and Lieutenant Groves.

"Missus Church," Groves says, "I'm here to take you to visit your family."

Luna simply nodded, too entranced by the hallucination to ask why James wasn't escorting her, though it bothered her heavily.

* * *

_**A/n: If you're reading this I have found my flashdrives!**_

_**I am soo uber happy. Mainly because I found my flashdrives. Secondly, because I finally have my sword for my costume. :) Now all I have to do is finish my hat...**_

_**Anyway Love you guys! Always!**_

_**Blessed be!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter fifteen**_

Luna paced back and forth in her room. She hadn't seen James since she yelled at him a week ago and it bothered her. He was purposefully avoiding her. She wasn't asking any of her escorts about him either, but that was for a different reason.

Her anger that had come from next to nothing was backed by the fact that she was Roma. And gypsy women were known to be faithful to only one man at a time.

"No. Stop. You can't blame this on your heritage. You can argue that the three generations of pirates can vouch for the adultery."

She groaned heavily and threw herself on her bed.

"Jackie! I miss you!" she cried. "I'm sorry. I've been such a _curvă_!"

She sobbed into her pillow. Her breath catching when a hand was placed on her back. She looked up hoping to see her best friend or at least James. She tried to stop the disappointment that battered her face as she took in Henri's solemn face.

"What's the matter Luna?" she asks.

Luna just shook her head. "I'm just a horrible friend."

Henri frowned. "I don't think so."

"What makes you say that? The fact that I haven't betrayed your trust? Just wait, I will."

"Here, child, sit up. Now, dry your eyes and listen close. You remember the story I relayed to you about how I came to work for Lord Beckett?"

Luna nodded. "You were taken from your home in Ireland to be sent into slavery, right?"

She nodded. "I'vent a drop of Irish blood in me though. My parents moved there after they eloped, hoping to escape the pressures of Court life."

"Court?"

She smiled. "Technically, I'm fourth in line for the English monarchy. His Majesty is my cousin somehow. I've forgotten what my mother said."

Luna's mouth fell agape. "You're royal blood and working for that man?"

Henrietta shrugged. "Much like you, I was shanghaied into working for him. We all were. My mother tried to explain who she was but with no proof plus the rumor that she allegedly died. Her words had no standing with that snake." She stared out the window. "He used my father as leverage to get my mother to work cooperatively. The rest of us just fell in to place. We worked on the plantation. As far as I know, they're still there. I was sent for when word came of your return to Port Royal."

Luna's hand covered her mouth in shock. Her qualms were forgotten for the moment.

"Anyway, Lord Beckett requires your presence in his bedchambers."

Luna's widened as she began to protest. "I-I… we're not even-"

"Oh don't worry. I think you'll quite like his predicament.

* * *

Luna bit back a chuckle at the sight of the bundled and shivering man in bed.

"I hate to say it but I told you so!"

Beckett groaned and coughed. "Unfortunately, I should have listened to you."

Luna smiled. "Yes well too little, too late."

"Can you help or not?" he sneered.

Luna nodded. "My mother would be better suited though. I've lived on a pirate ship the majority of my life. The only sickness there is alcohol poisoning or seasickness. Plus the occasional flesh wound."

"No."

"No?" Luna wondered as she sat on the edge of the four poster bed. "Good heavens, do you want to get better or not?"

"Of course I do, darling," he managed between pain filled gasps. "But your mother is not treating me."

Luna looked insulted. "I never suggested such a thing. Though, if I were you I would begin to try for an amiable relationship with her. You are to be wed to her eldest daughter. Now, tell me what is wrong."

She leaned forward and rested her hand on his forehead. His fever was still there, though considerably higher.

He shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you other than I have a horrible cough, fever and a raging migraine."

She smiled at his vulnerability. "You said you haven't been eating properly?"

"I haven-" He was cut off by a round of coughs and winced. "Haven't been hungry. Or rather haven't had anything really appeal to me."

"Does your chest hurt when you cough?" At his nod Luna pressed her hand to his breast bone. She pulled away when he winced. "Have you experienced any shortness of breath climbing the stairs or another?"

Again he nodded.

Smiling, she pecked his burning forehead. "Let me check with my mother to be sure, but I'm pretty sure I know exactly what you have. And if I'm correct I've had it before myself. You'll be back to good health in no time. Though we might have to postpone our trip to Georgia."

"Let's hope we shan't. I'm hoping to marry you beneath the blossoming peach trees in a few months' time."

The image that flashed in Luna's mind made her smile. She loved peach blossoms. She couldn't think of a more perfect place to marry.

"Just an intimate ceremony, da?" she asked, "My family, Henri, a few friends and acquaintances?"

"Is that all you want?"

Luna looked down, her cheery smile melting into a frown. "For all that I have wished upon myself, and grand wedding was never one of them. All I hoped for was, perhaps, a moment on a ship before its captain. Much like my wedding to Nathaniel, though, I had hoped for my mother at least to be there." A small smile graced her lips. "As long as I wed someone whom I cared about, but not necessarily loved, I figured myself lucky. Now," she sighed, "now I count my blessings, for I have a man who loves me and I fear I have fallen for him despite what he stands for. This is not a chance that I will readily allow pass me by."

Beckett smiled. "Have Henrietta send for your mother."

"No!" Luna snapped. Realizing her outburst, she blushed. "I mean, that's quite alright. I can take care of you as well as she, I just need to consult with her on the matter of you illness. If that's okay with you?"

He nodded. "Very well, take the carriage."

"Of course." With one last grand gesture she left the room.

* * *

_**A/N: I pray I haven't confused you especially with that little monologue from our favorite gypsy. Perhaps some wise words from Miss Selena Gomez will prove to clear up what has undoubtedly become fuddled; "Everything is not what it seems."**_

_**I think that quote has quite perfectly summed up the rest of this story. To an extent, might I add, because some of it is in fact perfectly what it is. But I'll leave what exactly it is for you to find out.**_

_**Curvă – slut**_

_**Until we meet again my loves,  
Best of wishes  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter sixteen**_

Admiral James Norrington sat at his desk furiously reading the multiple letters and orders and such that had arrived from the office of Lord Cutler Beckett. Or better thought of as the bastard that is stealing his heart's content. If it weren't for him, he and Luna would be the ones engaged, preparing to set sail for his family's manor in England to wed, rather than some unsavory plantation in a colony beginning to show signs of unrest.

If it weren't for him, his love wouldn't be trapped in a stuffy mansion where she does not in fact, belong. No, if it were James she was engaged to, she'd be out sailing with her crew aboard the _Gypsy Curse_, where she felt at home like she had once confided in him. Perhaps even he'd be aboard the vessel as they chased the horizon.

When he really thought about it, he knew that even if Beckett didn't propose, he still wouldn't have her heart. Actually, he'd be quite lonely; chasing not horizons but the ghost of Elizabeth Swann that still manages to haunt his dreams.

_You're still hung up on Elizabeth…_

Her phrase continuously echoed through his thoughts causing him to lose sleep.

She was right of course. She was always right. He knew better to lie to her, especially after she'd been so truthful to him.

_I wanted what he proposed. A normal life, a family. But now I can't! Thanks to you!_

He winced at that memory as he cast aside the paper he'd been trying to read for the past hour and a half.

Groaning, he ran his hands over his face.

_Why do I have to have such bad luck with women?_

He never got the answer to his unspoken inquiry for there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," James voiced. Expecting even _more_ requisitions from Lord Bastard, James sat up and attempted to look busy. To his great relief, behind the door stood his two best friends. "Phillip, Theo."

"I daresay, James, you look awful!" Gillette exclaims. "No wonder you've not come out of this office in a week."

"We haven't seen you this depressed looking since…" Groves stopped and frowned. His wordless _Elizabeth broke your heart_ clearly understood. "Who was she?"

"I-I don't know what you mean," James says turning back to his work. With his friends to distract his thoughts, perhaps he could get some done.

Theodore sighed heavily and shut the door. "The woman who's damaged your heart, James."

"No one's damaged my heart."

"Save for Elizabeth," Phillip muttered under his breath looking to admire his shoe.

James looked pointedly at him. "What was that?"

Phillip looked up. "Hmm? Oh, nothing."

"James," Groves interjected, "we all know you're hurting. Is it by Missus Lucescu, by chance?"

Gillette had to snort at that one. "The sister? She hates him. There's no way it's her. Perhaps the woman from the ball all those weeks ago."

A glimpse of recognition flashed over his face.

Theo smiled. "We have a winner."

"It would seem so," Phillip addressed. "What was her name again, Admiral?"

"Lu-H-Henrietta Jensen," James answered.

The two lieutenants shared a look. _Luna_.

"What the hell are you thinking, James?" Groves nearly shouted. "Beckett's fiancée!?"

James ignored the two men's protest and simply continued to read. "I'd appreciate it if you would keep your noses out of my sex life."

"Who said anything about sex?" Phillip asked glancing over to Groves who replied with an "I certainly didn't."

"I'm your superior-"

"We didn't come as subordinates, James," Phillip cut off, "we came as concerned friends."

Theo nodded in agreement. "We hated to see what Miss Swann did to you. You were crushed and vengeful. But I wonder, were we really chasing Sparrow through that hurricane? Or was it someone else?"

"Get out."

A moment passed tacit between them.

"Get out!" James says more sharply.

With one last worried look at their friend, they turned around and left the depressing office, nearly running into the mistress on the way.

Groves bowed. "Missus Church."

Gillette followed. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you. He's a bit…off."

Luna smiled angrily, having heard the last bit about her. "Any idea as to why?"

"Not at all ma'am," Groves said as the scattered around her.

Dropping the faux smile, she walked into the office.

"If you two don't leave me alone-"

"James," Luna breathed.

His head snapped up and his deep green eyes found her silvery blues. The room was deathly silent save for the audible _click_ of the door gently shutting.

"I've come to ap-"

"Luna, I-"

They frowned at each other, the ungainliness between them palpable.

"You go first," they said together.

Another brief silent moment passed and James smiled. "Ladies first."

"James, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was just confused. I haven't felt like this is a long time, and It scares me. You were acting like Jack and…" she sighed "…Nobody has ever treated me the way you have. Then you started acting like Jack, and I thought that the curse… I realize now I was just being stupid."

His smiled had dropped and his face stayed emotionless. "Do you compare everything to him?"

She shook her head. "No. I hardly ever think about him to tell you truth."

He sighed and stood from his seat, coming over in front of Luna. "Why are you here?"

She stared at him. Didn't she just apologize? "I wanted to-"

"That's not what I meant, Lu. Why are you at the fort to begin with?"

Her plump pink lips formed an "o". "Um… Beckett's finally contracted pneumonia. He thinks I'm here consulting my mother on how to treat him. Of course living in Romania for the foremost part of my life, with the icy cold winters, I contracted pneumonia on more than one occasion."

He chuckled. "Figures."

Luna smiled sheepishly at the tall man in front of her, her silvery blue eyes betraying her fear. "Will you forgive me?"

James sighed heavily and without gracing her with a passing glance, he pulled her close. "Always."

* * *

_**A/N: Aww... So sweet. So this month is National Novel Writing Month! Any one else participating?**_

_**Anyway so sorry this is so late but it's here I've been busy with this project for my creative writing class...**_

_**Fave, review, and alert!**_

_**Blessed be,  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter seventeen**_

Jack frowned at the vision before him, and it was exactly that.

He was insane. He was sure of it. How else could _she_ be here?

Of course she haunted his dreams, when he did sleep… _Speaking of, when was the last time I slept? _

He shook his head. It didn't matter. What mattered was how _she_ ended up on the deck of the _Pearl _dancing and singing when she should've been in Port Royal getting married to the shrimp that ruined his life.

"Jackie," she called to him. "Why don't you come and dance with me?"

His frowned deepened. "I don't know how to."

The gypsy paused. "Liar. You do too."

"I do not. Not like that."

She chuckled. "Oh, Jackie." She snapped her fingers and instead of the brightly colored Romany outfit, she donned a golden gown. Her dark hair was pulled up into a slightly out-of-style 'do and accented with cream roses and a silver tiara. "How about now?"

This made Jack smirk. "You look like a princess."

Luna smiled. "Your pretty, pretty princess."

Jack shook his head. "You're not mine. You're Beckett's."

"No. I've never been anyone's but yours." She holds up her hand to show off the ring on her finger. Silver, ornate looking, inlaid with a rainbow moonstone. "Pretty, isn't it? Rainbow moonstone; the stone of new beginnings."

"New beginnings?"

"I've seen it Jack. Us together. It's you; the man in the poem. It's you! I had a vision! I saw this ring on my finger and Emmaleene was there. We found her, my daughter! She's alive. And James! Oh! We have a son. He looks just like you!" She smiled and twirled. "Isn't it great news?!"

Jack frowned and backed away. "Love, you're way too happy. Who are you and what did you do to Luna?"

"But don't you see, it's me!" It was Luna's turn to frown. "Jack, I'm here. In spirit at least, via astral projection."

Jack shakes his head and walks into his cabin. "I'm finally mad enough for an asylum."

"Oh Jack please listen to me?"

He turns around swiftly to see her hesitating in the doorway. "You're not even real Lu. Why should I listen to any of the daft things you say?"

"Just take my hand." He gives her out stretched hand a tentative look. "Please?"

With a sigh he placed his sea-stained hand and smiled.

"Good." She led him over to the railing and pushed him.

"Hey!" he shouted as he fell backwards. He was expecting to hit the hard dry ground the constantly surrounded him, not the wetness of the coolness of the sea. He sat up and coughed. "Where are we and can I stay?"

Luna laughed whole-heartedly, the sound similar to bells. It makes Jack smile. He can't remember the last time she laughed like that.

"Unfortunately not. But look!" She pointed to a couple embracing on the beach.

"That's us."

Luna nods. "Watch."

_Jack shakes Luna's shoulder._

"_Love?"_

_Luna's eyes fluttered open at the voice. "Jack?"_

"_You dozed off, love."_

"_Oh." She looked around. "Oh!" She blushed. "Sorry."_

_He chuckled. "Love, stop apologizin'. I'm not that incompetent. The children are fine. They're with your mother."_

"Children?" Jack asked. Luna rolled her eyes and shushed him.

_Jack frowned. "Memory's still not back, eh?" He sighed and messed with the ring on her left hand. "So you don't remember the wedding?"_

_Luna glanced down at her hand._

The Jack from the locker smirked. "We're married?"

"Mhmm," Luna answers. "Tried to tell you. Now, quiet this is my favorite part."

"_Mami!"_

"_Jamie! Stop jumping on mami!"_

_Luna looked from the boy who had jumped in her lap to the white-haired girl walking towards her._

"_Emmaleene?"_

"_Sorry, mami, Jamie noticed you were missing and insisted we look for you," she explained._

_Luna looked to Jack for some sort of explanation._

_Jack simply smiled. "Emma, take James and go find Bunică, please. Your mother and I will be home soon."_

"_You still don't remember do you, mami?" Emmaleene asked._

_Luna smiled sadly and shook her head. "Îmi cer scuze, copila mea."_

_The child returned the smile and took her brother's hand. "Don't worry. Bampá, tha kánei ta pánta entáxei ."_

"What did she say?" Jack from the locker whispers.

"Something to the effect of 'Daddy will explain it to you.'"

Jack looked to the retreating figure of the blonde girl. "Daddy?"

"_Bampá?" Luna asked as soon as her children were gone from view._

"_Yes," Jack answered. "It's what Emma calls me."_

"_That's my Emmaleene."_

"_Yes."_

"_She was kidnapped."_

"_Yes._

"_By who?"_

"_Aphrodite."_

"Aphrodite?" Jack asks. "The goddess of love?"

Luna shrugged. "It has something to do with my beauty. Or rather Parvati's."

"_James?"_

"_Our son?"_

_Vision Luna shook her head. "No."_

"_Norrington?"_

"_Yes."_

"_The good Admiral is retired and living somewhere in Georgia on his late wife's plantation."_

"_Late wife?"_

"_You."_

"_Me?"_

_Jack nodded. "You married him after Will killed Jones. Had a child. Marabella, I believe."_

"You married the commodore?" Locker Jack asked.

Luna from the locker shrugged. "Apparently."

_Luna frowned. "Henrietta?"_

"_Your maid friend married Norry. Looks after the girl as if she's her own. We visit every now and then."_

"_How am I his late wife?"_

_Jack sighed. "You "died" on a crossing from England."_

_Luna's mouth formed a little 'O' and she looked back to her hand. "What of Beckett?"_

"_Killed right after Will became captain of the Dutchman."_

"_I did marry him?"_

_Jack nodded once._

"_I'm sorry I betrayed you."_

"_I forgave you a long time ago, love."_

"I forgave you?" Jack asks.

Luna frowned. "Do you not plan on it?"

"Your betrayal cuts deep, love."

_Luna smiled at her ring. "So we're married?"_

"_That, Mrs. Sparrow, is my favorite memory to refresh."_

"Now come on," Luna says pushing Jack back into the water.

Air blew past him as if he was falling backwards. Suddenly, he landed on the deck of the _Black Pearl_, knocking the wind out of him. He drew a deep breath and opened his eyes.

He was alone again. He groaned and sat up. She'd felt so real. With a huff, he stood and returned to his cabin for a lie down. However, something lying on his desk glinted and caught his eye. He walked the short distance and with a smirk, picked up the item.

She really was here.

* * *

"Missus Church?"

Luna turned from her spot at her empty writing desk and looked at the door to see her chaperone. "Yes, Charles?"

"The ship's setting sail soon."

Luna hid her frown. "Yes, I'm coming." She stood and grabbed her hat from the foot of her bed.

Charles led her out and to an awaiting carriage. As it pulled away Luna spared the manor one last look. This was the last time being her as herself. The next time she stepped foot in the building she would be Lady Beckett.

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry I've disappeared! I've been incredibly busy with school and NaNoWriMo! Unfortunately I haven't been able to write all week. I wrote a poem and half a story in creative writing but that's it. I'm doing a double update and finishing this beauty. Unfortunately I won't be back with part four until January. I might start posting part IV but I doubt it. **__** My sister has suckered me into collaborating with her on a One Direction Fanfic on Quotev.**_

_**Blessed be,  
Lyra**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter eighteen**_

The two months it took to finish planning the over extravagant wedding actually went by pretty fast. While Luna had been forced to learn her way around the plantation, Beckett had been busy planning the wedding himself, so the majority of it all was done.

Luna lie in bed awake the night before the wedding wondering if it was all worth it. Did she really have to go running off to marry the enemy right after her best friend died? The thought stopped her for a second.

Though, she felt like she was betraying Jack, and she knew she was really, she didn't feel guilty. Her decisions were her own and for her purpose, and if someone, er, rather, everyone in this case disagreed with her actions then so be it. But everything was for the best, she kept telling herself.

As the clock chimed four just down the hall, Luna groaned. She was to be married to the very man she loathed most in this world in six hours. How in the world was she supposed to make it seem as if she loved the man?

Luna turned on her side and stared angrily at the closed curtains. Eventually she fell into a fitful sleep only to be woken by Henrietta two hours later.

After breakfast without her fiancé and a warm Venetian bath, Luna was ushered back into her room to be squeezed into yet another corset. Whoever invented the death contraption needed to be hanged. Though she couldn't really say much as she wore one more often than not when on a pirate ship, but the one she wore was nowhere near as tight as the one she was being squeezed into now.

There was a soft knock at the bedroom door before it was opened slightly.

"Might we come in, _fiică_?"

Luna turned around as best she could to take up her mother in a hug. "Oh, _mami_, you look wonderful!" She glanced up at her sister, who was hanging back in the doorway. "You both do."

She wasn't lying. Though be it strange, the two women were dressed in the latest fashions. Estrella, the real Estrella, was dressed in a peach gown that was quiet frilly and reminded Luna of the dress she'd managed to fit over Elizabeth Swann for Norrington's promotion. Esmeralda's was nearly the same, though hers was decidedly lavender.

"I don't suppose either of you can breathe?" Luna wondered.

"Not at all," Esmeralda nearly sneered.

"Miss?" Henrietta asked as she tugged on Luna's arm. "We must get you dressed and ready."

Rolling her eyes, Luna relented as she spent the next two hours getting pulled every which way as five different women tried to ready her for the fast approaching deadline.

"Done!" Missy said as she pushed the final hair pin into place. "All that's left is the veil and I'll place that on right before you walk down the aisle."

Luna was then pulled in front of a mirror.

She couldn't help but stare at the woman that looked back at her. It was decidedly not her, but someone very similar.

Her overly wavy black hair was pulled up to sit on the crown of her head. She couldn't tell what exactly was done to it other than the fact that it look completely natural to sit there. Her eyes wandered her dress next. The pretty creamy pinkish color reminded her of the dahlias that grew in the garden beneath her window on the plantation. Or maybe perhaps it was the little fabric "flowers" that dotted the trim. Surprisingly, it complimented her slightly sun-tanned skin. The dress wasn't overly fancy, nor did it really suit Luna. It was much too childish looking. She couldn't really explain why.

Finally her eyes came to her face. The little bit of makeup she had on only happen to highlight her natural beauty. Her lips were painted the same pink as the dress as well as the light shadow over her eyes, which were as bright blue as the Caribbean waters. It was not her at all.

No, the woman looking back at her was not Captain Luna Church of the _Gypsy Curse_. That Luna was nowhere to be found. The Luna that she saw was the future Lady Luna Beckett of London.

Slowly, a huge smile lit up her face.

* * *

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the presence of the Lord to celebrate their union in marriage. The holy relationship of marriage was instituted by the Lord from the beginning, and being of divine appointment it is therefore honored among all peoples. It is to be entered into joyfully, thoughtfully, lovingly and reverently. With this desire these two persons come now to be united."

As Luna watched the man in front of her, love and adoration plastered on both their faces, she couldn't help but let her smile widen just a bit.

A few weeks ago, she'd managed to get word out to Scarletta of the date of the marriage, who in turn relayed the message to Barbossa. Right before the wedding, her mother handed her the letter from her father stating that he would arrive sometime in the next two months. She couldn't wait.

Not to be rude at her own wedding, she turned back to the minister of her newly found faith just in time to hear the scripture.

"My beloved speaks and says to me: 'Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.'"

Luna stifled an eye roll as she once again tuned him out; instead she decided to remember all the words to Elizabeth's pirate song.

She was only half way through, after starting over twice, when Beckett voiced an "I do."

The minister turned to Luna. "Luna Church," she turned, "in the light of this vision of life together, will you take this man to be your husband that you may live together in the holy bond of marriage? Do you promise to strive to love and honor him, to comfort him and be faithful to him, so long as you both shall live?"

Luna swallowed her pride and closed her eyes, a cheeky smile on her face. It was almost over. "I do."

The cleric looked to Lord Beckett and she watched as the fake adoration and love on Beckett's face grew into respect and almost… pride?

"Luna, if you'll repeat after me. 'I, Luna Church take you, Cutler Beckett…"

"I, Luna Church take you, Cutler Beckett…" she fought back a sneer.

"…to be my wedded husband…"

"…to be my wedded husband…"

"…to have and to hold from this day forward…"

"…to have and to hold from this day forward…"

"…for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer…"

"…for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer…"

"…in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish…"

"…in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish…"

"…till death due us part; and thereto I pledge you my faith."

"…till death due us part;" At this Luna smiled. "and thereto I pledge you my faith."

"If the rings will be passed forward," Father Tucker hinted.

Luna exchanged her bouquet with her sister for the small gold ring.

"O Lord, our God, we ask your blessing upon these rings that they may be constant symbols of unending love and devotion. Amen."

Beckett held up the ring in his right hand and took her hand with his left. "With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love." He slipped the ring on her finger and smiled.

Luna repeated his words and slipped the ring on, wondering at the sudden wave of relief that washed over her.

Father Tucker recited yet another paragraph of words that Luna did not hear.

"Forasmuch as you Cutler Beckett and you Luna Church have consented together in marriage, and have pledged your love and your commitment each to the other in the presence of God and of this company, I do now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

She through her arms around his neck and kissed him. In all the months of stealing kisses, she never much wondered at the fact that he was and exceptional kisser. Though, she still preferred kissing the wind chapped lips of one Captain Jack Sparrow. She pulled away then.

"It is with great honor that I present to you, Lord Cutler and Lady Luna Beckett."

Luna smirked in spite of herself. Everything was flowing along just smoothly now.

* * *

_**A/N: Whelp… That's it. I've had this chapter written forever and surprisingly I loved writing it. Perhaps it was because it meant Luna's plan was finally falling into place. I know I skipped a couple months there. I hadn't planned on anything there, perhaps a softer scene with Luna and Beckett but other than that nada!**_

_**I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, and alerted this story. I love you guys! The fourth installment will be out soon! In the meantime like my Facebook page (link on my profile), follow me on Twitter LyraRaine, and on Instagram lyra_raine_sparrow! Again Love you guys!**_

_**Blessed Be!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


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